A grand jury has upgraded charges against a man who police say drove drunk and crashed his car near Richmond, leaving an unrestrained disabled child passenger injured.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Richmond Fire Protection District responded around 10:24 p.m. on February 12 to the 7800 block of Tryon Grove Road in unincorporated Richmond.
Deputies were dispatched for a report of a single-vehicle crash, according to McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Communications Specialist Emily Matusek.
An initial investigation showed the vehicle left the roadway and hit a ditch embankment.
The driver was identified as Bryan M. Johnston, 35, of Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
Johnston and a child, who was a passenger in his car, were transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry with non-life-threatening injuries, Matusek said.
The juvenile was later transferred to Comers Children’s Hospital in Chicago due to their age and injuries, Matusek added.
Johnston was under the influence of alcohol while driving, according to the indictment.
Johnston is the caregiver for the child, who is 12 years old and has a pre-existing disability, the indictment said.
Johnston also failed to fasten the child’s seatbelt before driving, the indictment said.
A grand jury recently returned a nine-count indictment charging Johnston with criminal abuse of a person with a disability, criminal neglect of a person with a disability, aggravated driving under the influence causing great bodily harm, aggravated driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a child passenger, driving under the influence of alcohol, child endangerment and driver failing to secure seatbelt of a child.
The most serious charge, criminal abuse of a person with a disability, is a Class 3 felony.
Johnston was transported to the McHenry County Jail following his arrest and was ordered held on a $20,000 bond.
Court records show Johnston was released after posting 10% of his bond.
An arraignment hearing is scheduled for May 10.