Veteran was drunk in fatal North Aurora crash

An Iraq war veteran was legally drunk when he died in a head-on collision March 30 in North Aurora, officials said at an inquest Wednesday.

Scott J. Beisterfield, of 2475 Ridge Ave., Aurora, was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m. after the crash on Route 25 near Ridge Road. Medical tests later revealed he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.14, above the 0.08 legal threshold for driving in Illinois, Kane County chief deputy coroner Loren Carrera testified.

An accident reconstruction specialist from the North Aurora Police Department added there was "no evidence of anything wrong" with Beisterfield's 2005 Dodge Neon.

The crash happened about 5:30 p.m. when the car crossed into southbound lanes and struck an oncoming 1995 Chevrolet Blazer, officials said.

The coroner's jury ruled the death accidental.

Beisterfield served in an unspecified military branch and had returned in January from his second tour of duty in Iraq, Carrera said.

Two days before the crash, Beisterfield learned he had passed tests related to becoming a firefighter, according to Carrera. On the day of the accident, she said, Beisterfield went bowling with his father and had planned to attend a family get-together later that evening.

The accident specialist said firefighters spent about 25 minutes freeing Beisterfield from the wreckage. Also injured was the Blazer's driver, 43-year-old George Mejia of North Aurora, and his 11-year-old male passenger, police said. Both were treated at an area hospital and released.