Prosecutors say a Round Lake man had alcohol and THC in his system as he drove 90 mph, slamming into another car without braking and killing another man, whose car erupted in flames in North Chicago.
Anebal Hicks, 24, of Round Lake, was charged with two counts of reckless homicide by motor vehicle, a Class 3 felony, and two counts of aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm, a Class 4 felony.
The charges stem from a two-vehicle crash that occurred around 12:05 p.m. on September 21 in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in North Chicago.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Shepherd said an investigation determined a Jeep Grand Cherokee, operated by Hicks, was traveling westbound on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
A Ford Fusion, operated by Thomas Byrne, 33, of North Chicago, attempted to turn on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Meadow Lane.
The two cars collided in the inner westbound lane and both cars careened into the opposite lane of traffic, Shepherd said.
Surveillance video showed Byrne’s vehicle spinning around and sliding into a tree before catching fire.
Byrne’s sedan came to rest on large bushes and Hicks’ Jeep came to rest against a fire hydrant.
The fire engulfed the car and Byrne remained trapped inside the car, Shepherd said. He was pronounced dead at the scene after firefighters extinguished the fire.
Both vehicles were only occupied by their drivers. Hicks was transported to Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital for his injuries.
The Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County (MCAT) responded to conduct a crash reconstruction and investigation, causing Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to be shut down in both directions from Green Bay Road to Hillcrest Avenue for several hours.
Witnesses told officers that they saw Hicks’ vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed prior to the impact.
Data from the Jeep showed Hicks was traveling at 90 mph seconds before the impact and he never tried to brake prior to the impact, Shepherd said. The posted speed limit for the street is 35 mph.
Medical records showed that Hicks had some alcohol in his system, Shepherd said. He also had less than the legal limit of Delta-9 THC in his systen but the DUI kit was conducted six hours after the crash, Shepherd said.
“The defendant drove his vehicle at a speed almost three times the legal limit for the zone he was traveling in and struck the victim’s vehicle. The defendant’s actions were careless and reckless and ultimately lead to the victim’s death,” Shepherd said.
An obituary for Byrne said he left the world in a “tragic” crash. His mother said he was the “ultimate nerd” and had obtained a degree in chemistry and biology from Rollins College in Florida.
“He loved concerts singing at the top of his lungs and diving into books or conversations that stretched the imagination and often broke the sound barriers. He was an athlete at heart, a swimmer, a water polo captain and a brief but enthusiastic member of crew at Rollins. He was passionate about lifting,” his mother said.
His obituary said he loved his family fiercely and shared a lifelong bond with his brother, who was his best friend.
“He was a son, nephew, cousin and friend who left an indelible mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. His humor, his intelligence, his quirks and his kind soul will never [be] carried forward in the hearts of those who loved him most,” his mother said.
Hicks was charged on January 29 and an arrest warrant was issued for him. He was taken into the custody of the Lake County Jail on Wednesday morning after surrendering voluntarily.
Hicks appeared in First Appearance Court in Lake County on Wednesday afternoon.
Prosecutors had filed a petition to detain him pending trial at the time the warrant was issued but a judge denied the petition and allowed Hicks to be released from custody on pre-trial conditions.
Hicks was placed on Level 4 pre-trial services monitoring with a curfew and electronic monitoring.
He was also ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring device and not consume illegal substances, cannabis or alcohol while being subject to random screenings.
Hicks is scheduled to appear in court again on March 12 for a preliminary hearing.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story indicated prosecutors did not proceed on their detention petition after Hicks’ arrest. This was incorrect and has been updated.