Glendale Heights man charged in Indiana crash that killed friend

A Glendale Heights man faces five felony charges, including drunken driving, in connection with a July 25 crash in Northwest Indiana that killed his passenger, police said.

Jeffrey Allen Keith, 41, is charged with one Level 3 felony, two Level 4 felonies and two Level 5 felonies for the crash in Hebron, Indiana. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, according to a press release from the Hebron Police Department.

Martin Anthony McDermott, 37, of Glen Ellyn, died at Franciscan Health Crown Point shortly after the crash, according to a release from the Lake County (Indiana) Coroner’s Office. He died of blunt force trauma as a result of the crash, according to the release, and his death was ruled an accident.

Hebron police said officers were dispatched at about 2:55 a.m. July 25 to U.S. 231 and County Line Road for a single-vehicle crash.

A white 2013 GMC Terrain had left the roadway and struck a high-tension electrical structure, police said. First responders found McDermott outside the vehicle.

During the initial investigation, officers observed multiple indicators of alcohol impairment from Keith, including an odor of alcoholic beverage, bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, unsteady balance and stumbling, according to police.

Keith declined a portable breath test and standardized field sobriety testing, according to police. Officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for a blood draw, police said.

Testing later determined Keith’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.257, more than three times Indiana’s legal limit of 0.08, police said.

Keith told investigators that McDermott was his best friend and that, after the crash, he located McDermott outside the vehicle. Keith stated that McDermott raised his arm and told him, “Jeff, I need some serious help,” according to the police

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Keith’s cellphone and records showed he made multiple calls trying to arrange for someone to come to the crash scene and pick him up, according to police. Records showed that Keith never attempted to call 911 for police, fire, or emergency medical assistance, police said.