Antioch Township woman involved in fatal crash back in jail on new charges
An Antioch Township woman previously jailed for leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in the death of a motorcyclist was returned to Lake County jail on charges of identity theft.
Leena A. Ultsch, 34, of the 26400 block of West Grapevine Avenue, is accused of taking $100 from a financial account she was not granted access to, said Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman for the Lake County state's attorney's office. She has been charged with one count of identity theft and a misdemeanor count of theft.
Ultsch was out of jail on $70,000 bail for the hit-and-run crash when she was charged and arrested on the identity theft charge Friday, Vargas said. No additional details were available.
Ultsch is required to post 10 percent of her $30,000 bail to be released from jail on the new charges, Vargas said.
If found guilty at trial, Ultsch could be sentenced from one to three years in prison, Vargas said. The charges are also probationable.
Ultsch already faces multiple charges of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, aggravated DUI resulting in death and failure to report an accident resulting in death for her role in a crash that killed Gregory Boyes, 50, of Antioch, on Route 173 about 4 a.m. Aug. 26.
Lake County Sheriff's officers initially said Boyes lost control of his 2007 Suzuki motorcycle while driving west near North Linden Lane. Hours later, investigators processing the crash site determined another vehicle was involved in the accident.
Ultsch called the sheriff's office about 9:45 a.m. and admitted she collided with the motorcycle and left the scene without contacting authorities. She told police Boyes drifted into her lane as they passed each other, and she left the scene because she was scared, officials said.
Officials also said Ultsch admitted to consuming two or three glasses of wine two to three hours before the crash.
Ultsch was released from jail on bail for the hit-and-run crash after posting bond in September, officials said.
If found guilty of the most serious charge, she could be sentenced up to 15 years in prison.
Court records show Ultsch was previously charged with DUI in 2004, and in Vernon Hills in 2005. She received supervision on the 2004 DUI, records show, and spent six days in Lake County jail and one year of parole after pleading guilty to the second DUI charge.
Ultsch is due back in court Jan. 6 for the identity theft charge, and Jan. 14 for the aggravated DUI charge.