A driver has been sentenced to probation after authorities say he drove through a red light while speeding and caused a three-vehicle crash that killed a “loving mother, grandmother” in Waukegan.
Francisco J. Martinez, 52, of Waukegan, was charged in December 2023 with two counts of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony.
A Lake County grand jury returned the two-count indictment, court records show.
The charges stemmed from a vehicle crash with injuries that occurred around 8:38 a.m. on February 28, 2021, at the intersection of Lewis Avenue and York House Road.
Officers arrived and found multiple vehicles involved in the crash. Three ambulances were called to the scene.
Paramedics transported a 64-year-old woman to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead two hours later.
An autopsy was performed on the victim, identified as Maria Gloria, of Kenosha, by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said at the time that Gloria died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries from the crash.
Northbound Lewis Avenue at York House Road and southbound Lewis Avenue just north of York House Road were closed for around eight hours.
The grand jury indictment said Martinez was acting in a reckless manner and caused the crash.
He drove above the posted speed limit and disregarded a red traffic light, the indictment said.
Martinez then drove into the oncoming lane and struck another vehicle, in which Gloria was a passenger.
Gloria was born in Mexico before moving to the United States with her family in 1993 “for the American dream,” according to her obituary, which described her as a “loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister.”
“She was a dedicated homemaker to all of her children and her husband; she had a passion for family, cooking and gardening; she combined her favorite hobbies to create an extraordinary life,” her obituary said.
“She was known for her devotion to God, her infectious smile, her kind compassionate spirit, and her amazing Mexican dishes,” her obituary added.
An arrest warrant was issued for Martinez after the indictment was returned and prosecutors sought his detainment pending trial but the request was denied by a judge, who released him with pre-trial conditions.
Court records show Martinez entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office last month, which was approved by a Lake County judge.
He pleaded guilty to one count of reckless homicide in exchange for 24 months of probation and 200 hours of public service.
He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution, not leave the state without court permission and not consume illegal drugs.