Man pleads not guilty in fatal crash

A Waukegan man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he was speeding and had drugs in his system during a crash that killed a Grayslake man.

Stanley Cicek, 45, faces up to five years in prison if convicted of reckless homicide.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Suzanne Willett said Cicek, of 1031 Flossmoor Ave., was driving a Ford pickup truck north on Route 45 and Arbor Boulevard just before noon Jan. 2.

Cicek's truck collided in the intersection with a Volkswagen driven by Nestor Jovanovic, 68, of Grayslake, who was turning left onto Route 45 from Arbor, Willett said.

Jovanovic was airlifted to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he later died.

Willett said Cicek was taken to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where tests uncovered the painkiller Vicodin in his bloodstream.

A reconstruction of the crash estimated Cicek's truck was traveling between 57 and 71 mph when it entered the intersection. Route 45 has a posted speed limit of 45 mph in that area, Willett said.

The reconstruction also showed Cicek disregarded a red light when he entered the intersection.

Circuit Judge Fred Foreman scheduled a trial for June 30. Foreman also ordered Cicek, who is free on $50,000 bond, to appear in court June 18.