Round Lake man avoids jail for causing crash that injured two

A Round Lake man accused of driving with cocaine, marijuana and alcohol in his system before causing a crash that broke another driver's neck was sentenced Tuesday to two years court supervision.

Andrew Sagel, 22, of 1600 block of Kildeer Drive, also must pay a $1,000 fine, but avoided the six-month jail term McHenry County prosecutors were seeking as part of the sentence.

Sagel admitted guilt to a misdemeanor driving under the influence charge in February under a plea bargain in which prosecutors agreed to dismiss felony aggravated DUI allegations initially filed in connection with the Sept. 3, 2006 crash.

Prosecutors lowered the charge after toxicology results did not conclusively show that the drugs and alcohol in Sagel's system were a cause of the collision. The charge to which he ultimately pleaded guilty only accused him of driving with cocaine and marijuana in his system.

In court Tuesday, Sagel apologized for the crash and said he hopes to join the military once he puts the case behind him.

"I understand the tragic circumstances of what I've done and I apologize for that," he said.

The crash occurred, authorities said, when Sagel's car veered into oncoming traffic on Lily Lake Road near Lakemoor and collided head on with a vehicle driven by James J. Krotky, of Island Lake.

Krotky suffered a fractured vertebrae at the base of his skull, an open fracture of his kneecap and could not walk for four months after the crash, Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Philip Hiscock said. His wife suffered a broken arm in the crash. Neither was in court Tuesday for Sagel's sentencing.

A civil lawsuit stemming from the crash has been settled out of court.