Carpentersville officer recovering from accident

A Carpentersville community service officer badly injured when he was hit by a car early Tuesday is making a satisfactory recovery after undergoing surgery to both legs, Carpentersville police said in a statement Wednesday.

Community service officer Jason Caudle, 22, is expected to remain in hospital for about a week, police department spokesman Cmdr. Michael Kilbourne said.

"The surgery was successful and went well, if not better than expected," Kilbourne said. "But because of the severity of the injuries it will not be a quick turnaround in any event."

Kilbourne described the injuries as "severe to both legs but non-life threatening."

Caudle, who has worked for the department since January, was setting up flares near Route 25 and Golfview Lane at 5:17 a.m., after a heavy storm Monday night knocked out power to the traffic control signal and overhead street lights in the area.

A southbound 2001 Pontiac Aztec driven by a 16-year-old Carpentersville girl failed to stop at the posted signs.

Police said Caudle was wearing a flourescent orange vest and a marked police vehicle with its emergency lights flashing was parked in the intersection at the time of the accident.

The unidentified driver, who did have a valid learner's permit, was ticketed for driving without a valid driver's license. Kilbourne said the learner's permit was void since four other passengers did not have valid driver's licenses.

The driver was also cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, as well as disobeying a stop sign.

Brigida Francisco-Pacheco, a passenger in the vehicle, was issued a traffic citation for permitting an unauthorized person to drive.

The teen driver and Francisco-Pacheco are due to appear at 9 a.m., Aug. 21 in Elgin Branch Court.