Kane jury nixed in car jumper case

Cell phone recordings helped rule out criminal activity in the bizarre case of a South Elgin teen who threw himself from a moving vehicle, officials said Wednesday.

Erik G. Nava, 17, was critically injured carrying out the stunt Nov. 21 in St. Charles Township but remembers nothing about it, according to his attorney.

On Wednesday, Kane County authorities called off a special grand jury investigation into the incident after audio and video recordings from the cell phones of other teens who were with Nava showed he jumped on his own volition. State's Attorney John Barsanti said no criminal charges would be filed.

"From listening to the responses of the people in the car, they're shocked," Barsanti said. "No one's egging him on, no one's daring and no one's pushing."

According to police, Nava was among dozens of St. Charles North High School students playing an unsanctioned scavenger hunt game that awarded points for jumping from a vehicle moving 25 mph, among other stunts. Barsanti said Nava was with two other teens when, about 10:20 p.m., he jumped unexpectedly from a sport utility vehicle at Old Homestead and Mallard Lake roads, even though the 16-year-old driver had planned to slow down.

Nava's attorney, Anthony Russo of Wheaton, said a head injury left his client with no memory of the accident.

"He remembers going to school and going to Culver's for ice cream. The next thing he knows he wakes up in the hospital," Russo said. "He has absolutely no knowledge of what happened."

Authorities launched a task force and special grand jury investigation on Nava's third day in critical condition, when he appeared on the verge of death, Barsanti said.

But Nava began to recover over Thanksgiving and was released from the hospital Dec. 1. He since cooperated with police and is expected to give an official statement this week.

Russo said Nava is a track team member and an above-average student. "He's really a bright kid," Russo said.

After learning of the incident, Russo said Nava told him the game sounded "stupid" and that he couldn't imagine himself jumping from a moving vehicle.

"He's still getting medical treatment and will not be returned to school until after the holidays," Russo said. "But thank goodness he's OK."