Aug 13, 2008 4:46 pm US/Central
Prosecutors: Driver Took Drugs Before Fatal Crash
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
Prosecutors claim a West Side driver took heroin Monday, the day before he allegedly fatally struck a pedestrian and injured two others.
Derry Carter appeared Wednesday before Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan, who set his bond at $350,000 and ordered him to return to court on Sept. 4 for a preliminary hearing, Cook County State's Attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said.
Prosecutors claim Carter admitted to taking two bags of heroin on Monday and then taking methadone Tuesday morning before the crash at 3959 W. Madison.
Carter was driving a 1997 GMC Van when he crossed the center line, disregarded a red light and hit a bicyclist, then struck Johnny Bell, a pedestrian whose body landed on the hood of Carter's van before Carter struck another car, prosecutors claim.
The collision with the car caused Bell's body to roll off of the van and into the street before Carter allegedly ran him over again, then crashed into a fence, court records said.
Two people were initially taken to Mount Sinai Hospital about 7:30 a.m., one in extremely critical condition and the other in serious to critical condition, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said. A third person was taken in serious but stable condition to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.
Bell, 55, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital at 8 a.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
Carter, 37, of the 4900 block of West Ferdinand Street, is charged with two counts of aggravated DUI, and one count each of reckless homicide and DUI. He was also cited for disobeying a red light, driving without insurance, not providing due care to a pedestrian in a roadway and driving left of center, according to Chicago Police.
A drug test found evidence of drugs in Carter's system, court records said. He faces a maximum sentence of 14 years if convicted of the felony charges.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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