Mom, daughter plead guilty in accident that injured police employee

A Carpentersville mother and her 16-year-old daughter both pleaded guilty Thursday to citations they received from an Aug. 5 accident that injured a Carpentersville police community service officer.

Brigida Francisco-Pacheco, 40, of 3014 Wakefield Drive #C, Carpentersville, was cited for permitting an unauthorized person to drive, police said.

Her 16-year-old daughter was cited for driving without a license and a stop sign violation. Prosecutors threw out a ticket for her for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Both women were fined $400 Thursday and both were placed under court supervision until Jan. 21, 2009.

In addition, the teenager will required to complete traffic school.

Community Service Officer Jason Caudle, 22, was laying out flares at the intersection of Route 25 and Golfview Lane at 5:17 a.m. on Aug. 5, because a severe storm the evening before had knocked out the traffic signals.

The southbound 2001 Pontiac Aztec driven by the 16-year-old, who had only a learner's permit, struck Caudle, who was wearing a fluorescent orange vest.

A police squad car with its overhead lights flashing was parked nearby.

Caudle received severe injuries to both of his legs and was taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

"Jason continues to recover, maybe even better than what was expected," Carpentersville Police Cmdr. Michael Kilbourne said Thursday.

Caudle uses a wheelchair and friends say the accident has not deterred him from his dream of a career as a police officer.

He is currently on the police hiring eligibility lists of several departments, including Carpentersville.