Prosecutors say a driver, who had cocaine in his system, never braked before his SUV slammed at 56 mph into a broken-down car, killing an elderly man who was working on the vehicle, in Deer Park.
Ryan P. Rinda, 30, of Cary, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs causing death, reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence while license revoked.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Rinda on April 24 by Lake County Sheriff’s Office crash investigators.
The charges are in connection with a crash that left Richard A. Krzysztofiak, 95, of Palatine, dead on January 13 in the area of Lake Cook Road and Quentin Road in Deer Park.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the intersection around 3:15 p.m. that day for a motorist assist call.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said a call was received for a disabled vehicle.
The sheriff’s office, moments later, began receiving 911 calls reporting a serious vehicle crash at the same location, prompting the response of the Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department, Palatine Fire Department and Countryside Fire Protection District.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and discovered Krzysztofiak deceased in the roadway, along with two heavily damaged vehicles, Covelli said.
A preliminary investigation showed a westbound 2006 Honda Accord broke down and was disabled in a westbound lane of Lake Cook Road just east of Quentin Road.
Covelli said Krzysztofiak got out of the Honda, which was in the center lane between the left turn lane and the outside through lane.
Witnesses reported that Krzysztofiak was looking under the engine area of his Honda.
A westbound 2024 Honda HR-V, driven by Rinda, struck the Honda Accord from behind.
Krzysztofiak suffered major injuries and died at the scene, Covelli said.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Shepherd said Rinda, who admitted to driving, was traveling at 56 mph one second prior to the impact and did not engage the brake, according to event data recording data obtained through a search warrant.
The speed limit is 40 mph in the area where the crash occurred.
Rinda was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Shepherd said Rinda consented to a DUI kit blood draw at the hospital and it was sent to the crime lab, which confirmed his blood was positive for the presence of cocaine.
A passenger in the Honda HR-V, a 30-year-old Arlington Heights woman, was also transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Covelli said a 77-year-old Barrington woman was sitting in the passenger seat of the broken-down Honda Accord when it was struck.
She also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital. Shepherd said the woman had to be extricated from the vehicle.
A school bus, which was only occupied by the driver, was waiting to turn left onto southbound Quentin Road from westbound Lake Cook Road.
The bus was sideswiped during the crash, Covelli said. The driver of the school bus was uninjured.
Witnesses told investigators that they observed Rinda’s vehicle crash into the Honda Accord and that it did not appear to be braking and or showing any indication of slowing before impact with the victim’s vehicle, Shepherd said.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team completed their investigation and obtained the charges against Rinda last month.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Warrants and SWAT Team arrested Rinda on June 3 at his home.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Rinda pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community, and Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition following a detention hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
“The defendant’s pretrial release poses a real and present threat to the safety of a person or person in the community. The defendant drove his vehicle at while the defendant had cocaine in his system, and his criminal history shows a clear pattern of committing similar offenses. The defendant’s actions were careless and reckless and ultimately lead to the victim’s death,” Shepherd said.
“Further, the conditions of Electronic Home Monitoring would not be effective as there is no technology that could confine the defendant to their home for 24 hours. Further, there is no technology that could monitor the defendant on a 24-hour basis, nor keep the defendant from consuming cocaine. Therefore, we ask that the petition to detain be granted,” Shepherd added.
Rinda remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 25 for a preliminary hearing.