Three months later, teen is charged in fest crash
Three months after a motorist slammed her car into a group of people during Schaumburg's Septemberfest celebration, a Roselle teen has been charged in the Labor Day weekend crash.
Rebecca E. Moeller, 18, of 627 Glacier Court, was cited for speeding, improper lane use and damage to village property in the collision that injured several people, authorities announced Wednesday.
The crash occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Sept. 2 as people were gathering along Plum Grove Road to watch the annual Septemberfest fireworks show.
According to police, a Ford Mustang with four teens inside drove off the roadway, hit two trees and then plowed into a group of people.
The crash resulted in seven people being taken to local hospitals, including one who was in serious condition at the time. Everyone else was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Among the injured were occupants of Moeller's vehicle who were ejected in the crash, police said.
All have since been released from the hospital.
Schaumburg Police Sgt. John Nebl said the simplest explanation of why the vehicle left the road was a combination of its speed and a quick lane change.
The Traffic Crash Reconstruction Team determined Moeller's vehicle was traveling at least 59 mph in a 45-mph zone.
"Investigators have some idea about why she left the roadway, but that's going to come up in court," Nebl said. "There's still the possibility of a civil suit being filed."
Police said the investigation took a long time because of the complicated nature of reconstructing the crash scene, as well as the time it took for Moeller's blood test to be analyzed by the crime lab.
The results of that blood test eliminated the possibility of any alcohol-related charges being filed, Nebl said.
Moeller, who is free on bond, is due to appear in court at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 2. She could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
This wasn't the first time a local community experienced such a crash during firework celebrations.
In 1996, an out-of-control car struck a crowd in Wheeling watching Fourth of July fireworks.
That night, a 1986 Buick Electra driven by an 83-year-old man raced out of its parking spot. The car struck a parking island, a tree, three cars and eight people, injuring seven and killing an 11-year-old boy. Parking is no longer allowed near fireworks spectators in Wheeling.
In 2000, shortly before a Batavia fireworks show, a driver hit a pickup truck, sending members of the family inside catapulting to the ground, injuring them. The accident was near a crowd of hundreds.
Since then, Batavia police have stepped up efforts to enforce a no-parking zone where people watch fireworks. To clear room for pedestrians, officers have stopped traffic directly after fireworks' shows.