Man pleads guilty to DUI in crash that injured friend

A Port Barrington man admitted Friday he was driving drunk when his car crashed in April and injured his friend.

Andrzej Bafia, 18, was placed on probation for two years after pleading guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol.

Assistant State's Attorney Steven Derue said Bafia, of 730 Brighton Circle, was driving on the 200 block of Larkdale Road in Wauconda about 4 a.m. April 15 when the car went out of control, struck a curb and flipped over.

A passenger in the vehicle, Jeffrey Skornia, 18, of Wauconda, suffered fractures to his back and jaw in the crash.

Derue said Skornia still suffers from some back pain but otherwise has recovered from his injuries.

Bafia was found walking down the street a short distance from the crash scene by officers responding to the accident.

He told police he had consumed seven or eight beers before the crash. Bafia's blood alcohol content was .091.

In addition to placing Bafia on probation, Circuit Judge John Phillips ordered Bafia to pay a $900 fine and contribute $2,000 toward Skornia's medical bills.

Phillips also ordered Bafia to perform 200 hours of community service and said he would encourage the probation department to have Bafia lecture youth groups on the dangers of drunken driving.