Man charged in fatal overdose turns down plea deal
An Island Lake man accused of supplying a lethal dose of heroin to a Mundelein resident in December 2015 turned down a plea deal Thursday, pushing his case to trial in December.
Joseph W. Crisara III, 30, of the 300 block Tulip Circle, faces up to 30 years in prison if found guilty at trial of drug-induced homicide in the death of 27-year-old Jason Ericksen.
Crisara remains held in Lake County jail on $200,000 bail.
Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Ben Dillon said there were "extensive negotiations" between prosecutors and defense attorney Eric Rinehart, and he "hoped to present a negotiation," in court Thursday.
However, Dillon told Judge Victoria Rossetti, a deal could not be reached and the two sides will go to trial. The trial is set for Dec. 4.
Ericksen was found unresponsive Dec. 26, 2015 by relatives in his bedroom, who then called police.
An officer attempted to revive him with a dose of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, but was unsuccessful. Ericksen later was pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. An autopsy determined he died of heroin intoxication, authorities said.
Crisara became a suspect after a search of the data on Ericksen's cellphone linked the two together, authorities said.
The Island Lake man was arrested Feb. 1, 2016, after Mundelein police, the McHenry County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals Service searched his home.
Crisara is due back in court Nov. 7 for a pretrial hearing.