St. Charles man pleads guilty to deliberate crash

A St. Charles man pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated reckless driving, having driven his car into oncoming traffic to hurt somebody else while trying to kill himself.

George Smith, 81, will be sentenced July 15. He could be sentenced to up to three years in prison, though probation is an option.

Smith was originally charged with aggravated battery with a weapon and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, punishable by two to five years in prison.

Smith has been in the Kane County jail since being released from a hospital last fall.

On Aug. 6, 2010, Smith was driving in the 1600 block of West State Street in Geneva when he said he wanted to kill himself. He first thought about hitting a tree, but then decided to drive into oncoming traffic so he could hurt someone else in the process, he told Geneva police.

Computer records from his car indicated he sped up before the crash, and was traveling 45 mph in a 35 mph zone.

He hit a car driven by Mark Rein of Geneva. Rein suffered broken vertebrae, broken legs, a broken hip and head trauma. He has filed a civil suit against Smith, who suffered a broken arm.

Smith was scheduled to plead May 13. That was delayed when Judge Allen Anderson questioned whether Smith could be ordered to pay restitution to the victim, as there appeared to be a conflict between the criminal statute and the Illinois Crime Victims Bill of Rights.

It was decided restitution could not apply.

Smith’s bail was originally set at $500,000, then reduced to $50,000. He was eligible for electronic home monitoring while awaiting trial, as long as he stayed with his son and daughter-in-law, but could not meet the conditions of bail.

At a fitness ruling last fall it was revealed that Smith had mental illnesses including manic depression, schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder. Police said he was depressed about his wife taking out an order of protection against him. According to her application, she accused Smith of overdosing her with medication containing codeine. She has since filed for divorce.