Coroner confirms man who caused fiery crash took his own life

Brian Thunderkick, who was being prosecuted for causing a fiery crash last September in Wheaton that killed a 22-year-old Elgin woman, took his own life in February by placing a plastic bag over his head, the DuPage County coroner said Thursday.

Thunderkick's ex-wife, Laura Arns, died at roughly the same time in their Warrenville townhouse as a result of "self-inflicted combined drug and alcohol intoxication," Coroner Richard Jorgensen said in a news release.

Both Thunderkick and Arns were 62.

Police officers from Wheaton and Warrenville found the pair while serving an arrest warrant on Thunderkick related to the crash.

The coroner waited several months for the results of toxicology tests before releasing the official causes of death.

Thunderkick was indicted on charges of reckless homicide, attempted leaving the scene of an accident involving death and aggravated battery stemming from the Sept. 30 crash when authorities said he was driving his Camaro 135 mph down Butterfield Road and struck a car driven by Erika Villagomez.

Villagomez was trapped in her vehicle as it burst into flames and died before she could be rescued.

Thunderkick was released from DuPage County jail in early October after posting 10 percent of his $150,000 bail and placed on home confinement.

He missed his first court date after being released, but his attorney said Thunderkick was in a mental health facility being treated for "mental health issues and crisis stabilization."

When Thunderkick failed to show up for a second hearing, police went to his home and found the bodies.