Sheriff: Hampshire man gave alcohol to minor in April fatal crash
A 25-year-old man has been charged with providing alcohol to a minor who crashed his car, killing his sister, after leaving a Hampshire bonfire last month.
Derrick L. Buttrum, of the 44W200 block of Route 20, Hampshire, faces up to three years in prison if convicted of providing hard liquor to Tyrus Taylor, 19, who crashed his 1994 Honda Accord near Sycamore, killing his 20-year-old sister, Tiffany, the morning of April 12, according to authorities and Kane County court records.
"Obviously, when we have an accident with underage people drinking, especially the severity involved, it's going to come out in witness interviews," said DeKalb County Deputy Sheriff Gary Dumdie, declining to elaborate on more of the investigation. "We were able to determine that (Buttrum) did provide alcohol."
Dumdie said Buttrum is accused of buying the alcohol in Kane County and providing it at the small bonfire the night of April 11 at his home.
Tyrus Taylor, of the 1100 block of Market Street in DeKalb, flagged down a sheriff's deputy at about 3:39 a.m. April 12 at Plank and Moose Range roads in rural Sycamore, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff's office.
Taylor told deputies he was headed west on Plank Road toward Moose Range Road near Sycamore when he lost control of his car. It left the road, rolled and hit a utility pole, throwing Tiffany Taylor from the car. She was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff's office said.
Tyrus Taylor was taken to Kishwaukee Hospital and treated for minor injuries. He later was charged with aggravated DUI, reckless homicide, improper lane use and failure to reduce speed, authorities said.
Taylor is due in court on DeKalb County on June 3 and is free on bond. He faces anywhere from three to 14 years in prison if convicted.
Buttrum was arrested Friday at the Kane County Judicial Center, said Kane County Sheriff's office spokesman Lt. Pat Gengler.
Buttrum's next court date was not immediately available; he has been released after posting 10 percent of $40,000 bail.
According to Kane County court records, Buttrum was arrested on residential burglary charges in November 2010 on charges of entering a Hampshire home with the intent to steal a 5-gallon jug containing between $1,100 and $1,500 in coins.
The charges were reduced to felony burglary, which he pleaded guilty to, and was given 24 months of probation and 180 days in jail, records show.
Buttrum also was arrested in April 2011 on felony charges of false impersonation of a police officer, but the charges were dropped, records show. He also spent 13 days in jail after an arrest in South Elgin in September 2013 on charges of driving with a suspended license.