Bartlett teen charged with reckless homicide in crash that killed two friends
A Bartlett teenager is facing two counts of reckless homicide in connection with a crash that killed two Bartlett High School students.
The boy's age was unavailable, and his name was not released by the DuPage County state's attorney's office. He is being charged in juvenile court.
The Aug. 3 crash killed Alex Czerwik and Cameron Kelty, both 16. Alex died at the scene; Cameron died on Aug. 6. A third boy, also 16, was injured.
Prosecutors allege the Bartlett teen was driving his mother's car with three friends when the crash occurred. The teen was driving north on Newport Boulevard when he accelerated up to 100 mph as he approached a curve at Devon Avenue, authorities said. The car left the road and struck a utility pole at roughly 80 mph, officials said.
"The tragic loss of two young men who were friends of the teen just rips your heart in two," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. "On behalf of the DuPage County state's attorney's office, I extend our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Alex Czerwik and Cameron Kelty as they try to piece their lives back together after such a devastating loss."
According to an online fundraising campaign and a Facebook post by the Bartlett Raiders youth football organization, the other boy injured in the crash was Alex's brother. The brothers and Cameron had played for the Raiders; Alex and his brother had volunteered that day at practice. Alex also was on the Bartlett High School football team.
The teen and his parents are scheduled to make their first court appearance on Sept. 30.