Geneva woman pleads guilty 2017 DUI crash that killed passenger
A 22-year-old Geneva woman pleaded guilty in late December in Livingston County court to aggravated DUI in the 2017 death of her passenger, Eweart "Daine" Rice-Picasso of St. Charles.
Jennifer L. Findahl, of the 3100 block of Husking Peg Lane, faces a prison sentence of three to 14 years for aggravated DUI after admitting to driving the wrong way on an Interstate 55 exit ramp while high on marijuana and Xanax and colliding with a semitrailer truck.
Findahl was charged in early 2018 with felony aggravated DUI, reckless homicide and other charges in the Sept. 16, 2017, crash that killed Rice-Picasso, 18, who had graduated from Geneva High in May 2017.
Prosecutors said they needed to obtain toxicology tests from the state crime lab before moving forward on the case.
According to a crash report, Findahl initially told authorities the truck was headed in the wrong direction. But the truck driver and a witness who was not involved in the crash said it was Findahl who was driving the wrong way.
According to Livingston County court records, a bench trial began in 2019, was continued because Findahl's lawyer had a medical issue and then she entered a "blind" or "cold" plea on Dec. 26.
In a cold plea, a defendant admits guilt without agreeing to a sentence with prosecutors and instead leaves it in the hands of a judge.
Findahl's defense attorney, James Casson, declined to comment on the case when reached by phone Thursday.
Messages left Thursday and Friday morning for Livingston County State's Attorney Randy Yedinak were not returned.
Findahl is free on bond, and her case is next due in court Feb. 5 before Judge Jennifer Bauknecht for a status update on Findahl's eventual sentencing hearing. Findahl must serve 85% instead of the customary 50% of any prison term.
Relatives of Rice-Picasso and another passenger have sued Findahl for damages. Those cases have been combined into one Kane County lawsuit, which is next due in court Feb. 13.