Warren Township woman pleads not guilty in fatal crash
A Warren Township woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges she was under the influence of drugs when she caused a car crash that killed a 75-year-old Lindenhurst man.
Carolyn Cipolletti, 59, is charged with aggravated driving under the influence and reckless homicide in the March crash on Sterns School Road.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Eric Kalata said Cipolletti, of the 36000 block of Grandwood Drive, was at the wheel of a Chevrolet Tahoe at 9:55 a.m. on March 12. Police said Cipolletti’s vehicle was eastbound in the westbound lane as it approached a westbound Buick LeSabre driven by Gerald Thiel, 73, of Lindenhurst.
Thiel attempted to swerve out of the way of Cipolletti’s vehicle, police said, but the Tahoe struck the Buick in the passenger’s-side door and rolled over.
A passenger in the Buick, Robert Jansky of Lindenhurst, died two days after the crash at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Thiel was severely injured in the crash, and Cipolletti was treated and released from the Libertyville hospital.
An investigation by the Lake County sheriff’s office showed Cipolletti had marijuana, hydrocodone and amphetamines in her blood system at the time of the crash, authorities said.
Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak told Cipolletti she faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of all the charges against her but would also be eligible for probation.
Potkonjak told Cipolletti, who has posted $10,000 in cash for bond, to appear in court Sept. 6.
Her attorney, Robert Ritacca of Waukegan, declined to comment after the arraignment.