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Wheaton man charged in deadly Golf Road crash

A Wheaton accountant with a history of speeding has been charged with drag racing and leaving the scene of a deadly January crash that occurred on Golf Road, just west of Bartlett Road, in Hoffman Estates.

A Cook County judge set bail at $100,000 Tuesday for Timothy Salvesen, 37, who could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the class 1 felony of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. He could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of the class 4 felony of aggravated street racing. Probation is also available for each charge.

The crash claimed the life of Midgalia “Mickie” Bloch, a 62-year-old Hoffman Estates woman who was on her way home from work at the time of the crash, which occurred about 7:37 p.m. Jan. 27. Also killed was Joseph Paliokaitis, 32, of North Aurora, the driver of the 2003 Jaguar that Cook County prosecutors say was racing Salvesen, who was driving a 2002 Subaru Impreza.

Other motorists observed the two cars traveling west on Golf Road at speeds estimated to be between 80 and 90 mph in an area with a posted speed limit of 55 mph, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Maria McCarthy.

Both cars were first in line at a red light at Barrington Road when a witness pulled behind Salvesen's car, photographed his license plate and called 911 to report the drivers for using excessive speed, McCarthy said. As the light turned green, Salvesen's car took off followed by Paliokaitis' car.

Witnesses also reported the cars speeding through the intersection at Bartlett and Golf roads, at which point Salvesen and Paliokaitis encountered a white van driving west in the left lane, McCarthy said. Continuing at high speeds, the two cars flanked the van, with the Jaguar traveling on the left using the lane of oncoming traffic to pass the van, McCarthy said.

At that point, Golf Road's two westbound lanes merge into one lane. As Paliokaitis attempted to move back into the westbound lane, the Jaguar fishtailed and rolled into the eastbound lane, where it struck Block's 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, authorities said.

Bloch died at the scene. Paliokaitis was taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, where he died.

A Bartlett police officer who went to Salvesen's house later that night noted Salvesen's car matched witnesses' descriptions and had the same license plate as the one in the photograph taken by the witness at the Barrington Road stoplight, McCarthy said.

Salvesen, who authorities say admitted to owning and driving the Subaru that night, has no criminal history. However, he was ticketed for driving 31 miles over the speed limit in 2009, McCarthy said. Prosecutors dismissed that charge when he pleaded guilty to following too closely and was sentenced to supervision and eight hours of traffic school, McCarthy said.

Salvesen received supervision in 2008 for driving 15 to 25 miles over the speed limit and was ordered to attend four hours of traffic school in 2003 for speeding 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit, amended from driving 23 miles over the speed limit in a school zone, McCarthy said.

Salvesen next appears in court on Nov. 15.

Timothy Salvesen
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