Lisle man pleads innocent in DUI pedestrian fatality

A 51-year-old man accused in a fatal Fourth of July weekend crash in Lisle pleaded innocent Monday to charges that he was driving while impaired.

James D. Kisla of Lisle denied in court that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and painkillers on July 3 when his vehicle struck 69-year-old Donna Early of Naperville, who died hours later at a hospital.

The crash happened about 10:15 p.m. near the intersection of Yackley Avenue and Ohio Street in Lisle. Donna and her husband Bill were walking home to the Steeple Run subdivision after watching Lisle’s Eyes to the Skies festival fireworks display from nearby Community Park.

Donna Early was struck as the couple crossed Yackley Avenue during what appeared to be a break in traffic, her husband has said. Kisla, of the 600 block of Hitchcock Avenue in Lisle, was arrested at the scene.

Kisla, who is free on $30,000 bond, is accused of having a blood-alcohol level of 0.089, a fraction more than the legal threshold. Kisla’s urine also tested positive for hydrocodone and dihydrocodeine after the crash, authorities said.

Attorney Don Ramsell, who represents Kisla, has predicted that authorities will have a difficult time proving drugs or alcohol affected his client’s driving. He noted that Kisla hadn’t taken a painkiller on the day of the crash.