Glencoe man charged with reckless homicide in Lincolnshire DUI crash in January

A Glencoe man has been charged with reckless homicide for causing an accident while intoxicated that killed a woman in January in Lincolnshire, authorities said.

John S. Warsaw, 63, of the 1100 block of Carol Lane, also has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol causing death and great bodily harm, Lincolnshire Police Investigator Adam Hyde said.

Warsaw, who turned himself into police Wednesday, is held in Lake County jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, Hyde said.

Lincolnshire Police received numerous phone calls at 8:50 p.m. on Jan. 13 that a reckless driver was behind the wheel of a Honda CRV that drove into a ditch and struck a street sign on the median on Route 22 in Buffalo Grove, Hyde said.

The Honda proceeded east on Route 22 and turned south on Route 21 in Lincolnshire, before it crossed the centerline and began driving south in the northbound lanes of traffic, Hyde said.

The Honda then collided head-on with a Toyota Corolla and pushed it into a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyde said.

Shruti Phandis, 26, of Wheeling, was in the front passenger seat of the Toyota when the crash occurred. She died five days after the collision from the injuries she suffered, Hyde said.

All other vehicle occupants were injured in the crash, but were released from local hospitals after treatment, he said.

The Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County assisted the Lincolnshire Police with the investigation, and performed a traffic crash reconstruction of the accident, Hyde said. The findings of the investigation was presented to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for review, and Warsaw was charged.

Warsaw is due back in court Friday, Hyde said.