Glen Ellyn man pleads to DUI charges in multiple crashes
A 63-year-old Glen Ellyn man pleaded guilty Monday in a case related to four crashes, including three hit-and-runs, that left one person in critical condition early last year.
Lawrence Sieber, of the 0-100 block of South Park Avenue, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm in connection with the series of crashes that began in Villa Park and ended in Lombard.
Prosecutors said Sieber's blood alcohol content level was .08, nearly five hours after the crashes.
As part of the plea, prosecutors agreed to cap their sentencing recommendation at nine years in prison. Sieber also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $965 to Villa Park police for towing and storage of his vehicle, $384.84 to Villa Park police for an emergency response to a DUI crash and $395 to Illinois Phlebotomy Services.
Villa Park police say they responded at 4:52 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2017, to a report of a hit-and-run crash at Ardmore Avenue and Jackson Street. Authorities said Sieber ignored a stop sign at that intersection and drove his truck into another vehicle, severely injuring the other driver, who was taken to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
Prosecutors said the man suffered numerous broken ribs, among other injuries, in the crash. A second driver refused medical treatment.
Sieber, meanwhile, fled south on Ardmore where he was involved in a second crash at Roosevelt Road, police said. That crash sent another driver to Elmhurst Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
He then fled again, police said, heading west on Roosevelt Road where he was involved in a third crash, this time at Westmore Avenue. No injuries were reported in that crash.
Seiber again fled and was located by Lombard police on the 800 block of East Roosevelt Road. When officers tried to stop him, he smashed his truck into another vehicle stopped for a traffic light at Roosevelt and Finley.
Sieber was taken into custody following a brief struggle with officers in which he had to be forcibly removed from his truck, authorities said.
Sieber will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. May 1 by Judge Jeffrey MacKay.