Elgin driver charged in February crash that seriously injured woman

A 20-year-old Elgin woman was ordered held on $30,000 bond Wednesday on charges of felony aggravated reckless driving, misdemeanor DUI and underage drinking stemming from a collision prosecutors say she caused earlier this year.

If convicted of the most serious charge, Perla Sanchez could face up to three years in prison. Probation is also an option.

According to prosecutors, Sanchez, her boyfriend and another person were at a Schaumburg hotel for a birthday party on Feb. 21 where Sanchez had five beers after smoking a marijuana joint earlier in the evening.

Police were twice called to the room, said Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Nicole Murphy. The second time was about 6 a.m., at which point Sanchez and her boyfriend left driving a truck belonging to a friend.

While driving a GMC Sierra west on Algonquin Road, Sanchez plugged in her phone, Murphy said. At that point, the truck began drifting into oncoming traffic and eventually collided with a Mercedes-Benz driven by a woman, according to police.

Sanchez, her boyfriend and the Mercedes-Benz driver were taken to nearby hospitals where the woman was in critical but stable condition, Murphy said. The woman suffered injuries to her pelvis, hip, ankle, arm and internal organs along with a brain bleed, Murphy said. Her injuries required four surgeries, Murphy said.

The woman, who suffered brain damage, "is anticipated to have dependent care for the remainder of her life," Murphy said.

Police later determined Sanchez's vehicle was traveling 59 mph at the time of impact, Murphy said.

Describing the crash as "a tragic accident," defense attorney Steve Roach stated his client's serum blood draw registered .062, which is under the legal threshold of .08. Sanchez, however, is under 21.

"We don't have a felony DUI here," he said. "What we have is an accident. We don't have anything about driving in a reckless manner or driving with willful disregard.

"The question of whether an illegal act took place is to be determined," he said.

Sanchez next appears in court May 7.