Glencoe man charged with reckless homicide, DUI

A Glencoe man has been charged with reckless homicide for causing an accident while intoxicated that killed a woman in January in Lincolnshire, authorities said.

John S. Warsaw, 63, of the 1100 block of Carol Lane, has been charged with reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol causing death and great bodily harm, said Investigator Adam Hyde of the Lincolnshire Police Department.

Warsaw, who turned himself into police Wednesday, is being held in Lake County jail in lieu of $500,000 bond, Hyde said.

Hyde said Lincolnshire Police received numerous phone calls at 8:50 p.m. on Jan. 13 that a reckless driver was behind the wheel of a Honda CRV and drove into a ditch, and struck a street sign on the median on Route 22 in Buffalo Grove.

The Honda then proceeded eastbound on Route 22, turned southbound on Route 21 in Lincolnshire, before it crossed the centerline and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic, Hyde said.

The Honda then collided head-on with a Toyota Corolla and pushed it into a following Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyde said.

Shruti Phandis, a 26 year-old from Wheeling, was in the front passenger seat of the Toyota when the crash occurred. She died five days after the collision from the injuries she suffered, Hyde said.

All other vehicle occupants were injured in the crash, but were released from local hospitals after treatment, he said.

The Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County assisted the Lincolnshire Police with the investigation, and performed a traffic crash reconstruction of the accident, Hyde said. The findings of the investigation was presented to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office for review, who charged Warsaw.

Warsaw is due back in court today, Hyde said.