McHenry County judge hurt in weekend crash

A McHenry County judge was hurt in a weekend car accident in unincorporated Marengo Township, police said.

Michael J. Chmiel, 44, a circuit court judge in Woodstock, was flown to OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford after a crash that took place around 2:15 p.m. Sunday on the 21700 block of Kishwaukee Road.

Chmiel was initially listed in stable condition, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office, which did not have an immediate update on his condition. Chmiel's wife and three children were also taken to St. Anthony and were later released.

The driver of the other vehicle, 78-year-old Robert Higgins of Marengo, was taken to Mercy Harvard Hospital. Higgins was discharged on Monday. He did not have any passengers.

Higgins was eastbound on Kishwaukee when he tried to turn left into a driveway in front of Chmiel, who was westbound, according to police. Higgins told police he did not see the other car. He was ticketed for failure to yield while making a left turn, police said.

Drugs or alcohol were not a factor in the crash; everyone was wearing a seat belt, McHenry County Sheriff's Sgt. Karen Groves said.

Cases that Chmiel was supposed to hear this week will still go on as scheduled in front of Judge Michael Feetterer in Chmiel's regular courtroom, Room 359, according to court administration.

Chmiel presides over the family division and hears divorce cases and other family-related proceedings.