Prosecutors: Street racing led to serious Naperville crash
A pair of DuPage County men are facing street-racing charges stemming from an April crash in Naperville that left two people seriously injured, authorities announced Tuesday.
Jadon Ramirez, 18, of the 0-100 block of North Old Plank Road in Bensenville, and Sahil Chauhan, 23, of the 5100 block of Scott Drive in Lisle, each are charged with one count of aggravated street racing and one count of aggravated reckless driving causing great bodily harm.
Both charges are Class 4 felonies punishable by up to three years in prison.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres said the charges culminate an extensive investigation into the crash that occurred just after midnight April 26, in front of a Courtyard Marriott at 1155 E. Diehl Road.
Prosecutors allege Chauhan was driving a 2024 Acura ZDX eastbound on Diehl Road at Mill Street, when Ramirez stopped next to him in a 2006 Mercedes CLS500, pointed at him, and gave a hand gesture implying that he wanted to race.
The pair raced to a red light at Washington Street and Diehl Road and then raced again, prosecutors say. After reaching 90 mph during the first race, Ramirez sped up to 101 mph during the second before he lost control of the Mercedes and crashed into a tree, authorities allege.
The impact ejected two of the vehicle’s four passengers. One of them, a 17-year-old boy, suffered internal brain bleeding, a punctured lung, broken ribs, a broken vertebrae and broken scapula. The other, an 18-year-old male, sustained a broken arm.
Ramirez appeared in court June 27, when a judge ordered him held in custody while awaiting trial. He’s due back in court July 18.
A judge on Monday ordered Chauhan released while awaiting trial. He’s scheduled to be back in court July 28.
“The blatant disregard for public safety allegedly exhibited by both of these men is astounding and will not be tolerated on the streets of DuPage County,” Berlin said in an announcement of the charges Tuesday.