Round Lake Beach man sentenced to 10 years in prison for deadly 2020 DUI crash

A Round Lake Beach man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 2020 drunken driving crash that killed two passengers in his vehicle.

Jose S. Aguirre, 30, was convicted on nine counts of aggravated driving under the influence following a four-day trial June. He must serve 85% of his sentence.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart had sought an 18-year sentence for Aguirre.

“While we are disappointed the sentence was not higher, this prison term sends the correct message that dangerous drivers will be held accountable in Lake County,” Rinehart said.

Aguirre testified that he was not behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Traverse SUV when it crashed in the early morning hours of Sept. 27, 2020 in a wooded area near Route 134 and Main Street in Round Lake following a brief high-speed police chase. Police had attempted to pull the vehicle over for speeding, but the driver refused to stop. Officers said Aguirre’s vehicle reached speeds of 123 mph in a 45 mph zone before the chase was called off for safety reasons.

Witnesses and experts disputed Aguirre’s account during the trial, saying he was seen in the driver’s seat and his injuries were consistent with someone in the driver’s seat at the time of the crash.

The crash killed passengers Juan Renteria-Becerra, 34, of Mundelein, and Edgar Herrera, 30, of Round Lake Beach. A third passenger suffered minor injuries.

Aguirre received 611 days of credit for time served in jail.