A woman has been sentenced to six years in prison for driving drunk and causing a rollover crash that killed her 29-year-old sister, who was a mother of two, near Woodstock.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:45 a.m. May 15 to the area of Dean Street and Gayle Drive in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a vehicle crash with entrapment.
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said initial reports indicated a single-vehicle rollover near the intersection with one occupant trapped and a second victim ejected from the car.
Firefighters arrived on the scene in under five minutes and found a single-vehicle rollover crash with heavy damage.
One victim was on the ground receiving CPR from a bystander while the second victim was still trapped in the vehicle, Vucha said.
Paramedics quickly began lifesaving measures on the adult female who was ejected.
Vucha said crews were able to successfully resuscitate the pulseless patient who was receiving CPR.
Firefighters simultaneously extricated an adult female from the heavily damaged vehicle.
The woman had been extricated and was transferred to an awaiting ambulance within seven minutes.
Both women suffered life-threatening injuries and two medical helicopters were requested, Vucha said.
A LifeNet helicopter landed at the scene and airlifted the driver, identified as Yaraldy Avilez-Estrada, 23, of Woodstock, to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
The second victim, who was the passenger, was transported by ambulance to the helipad at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital.
The female passenger was airlifted by a REACT helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said that the passenger, identified as Belen Estrada, 29, of Woodstock, died in the hospital two days later.
Avilez-Estrada was listed in serious condition, the sheriff’s office said. No other injuries were reported.
The sheriff’s office said a preliminary investigation showed that the 2003 Toyota Corolla was traveling southbound on Dean Street.
The Toyota exited the left side of the roadway north of the intersection and re-entered the roadway before crossing over into the northbound lane of travel.
The Toyota exited the roadway to the west and crossed over Gayle Drive as it continued southbound, the sheriff’s office said.
The vehicle entered a yard at the southwest corner of the intersection, rolled over, struck a tree and came to rest on its roof.
Avilez-Estrada was wearing her seatbelt while Estrada was not, the sheriff’s office said, adding that alcohol and speed were factors in the crash.
The two women were sisters, the Northwest Herald reported.
Woodstock resident Nestor Carbajal said Estrada left behind two children, ages 5 and 7. A GoFundMe account has raised over $6,000 for the family.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Investigation Unit investigated the crash and Avilez-Estrada was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence with a suspended or revoked license.
Avilez-Estrada was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, court documents said. She was also driving the vehicle at a time when her driving privileges were suspended for another DUI.
Court records said her blood alcohol content was 0.199, which is over twice the legal limit.
Avilez-Estrada entered into a negotiated plea deal with the state’s attorney’s office this week.
She pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence causing death, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for a six-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The plea was accepted by McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis on Wednesday.