Driver in Naperville crash clocked at 142 mph, cops say

A Shorewood man was driving more than 100 mph over the speed limit when he lost control of his car and crashed on Ogden Avenue in Naperville last month, police said Wednesday.

An “event data recorder” from Dean Suominen’s 2008 Dodge Charger put his speed at 142 mph in the 40-mph zone, according to Naperville Sgt. Gregg Bell.

“It was a horrific looking crash,” Bell said.

Suominen, 36, is facing charges of drunken driving, reckless driving, driving too fast for conditions, improper lane use and speeding.

Police said he was driving east on Ogden shortly before 1 a.m. Jan. 10 when his car struck a curb near Rickert Drive and went airborne. The vehicle flipped and crashed into a steel support beam near the intersection before coming to rest on the 500 block of Chamberlain Drive.

The car’s engine, windshield and a tire dislodged in the accident, and Suominen had to be freed from the wreckage, police said. He was treated at Edward Hospital in Naperville for injuries that were not life-threatening. No one else was hurt.

Bell said the recorder used to pinpoint Suominen’s speed is similar to “black box” devices installed in commercial airliners.

Suominen could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear for a hearing in DuPage County court March 13.