Driver gets 3 years for crash that killed Hoffman Estates man in West Dundee
A Carpentersville man was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for killing a man in a 2021 crash in West Dundee.
Dereck Kelly, 20, of the 100 block of Kings Road, will have to serve at least 50% of the sentence before being eligible for parole.
Kelly pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to reckless homicide for the May 8, 2021, collision at Eighth Street and Strom Drive that killed Carl Bley of Hoffman Estates.
Kelly, an unlicensed driver, was going 62 mph in a 35 mph zone on Eighth, according to police. Bley was making a left turn.
He could have received probation or conditional discharge, but Kane County Judge John Barsanti refused, citing Kelly's history of traffic and criminal charges, as a juvenile and an adult. He was judged a delinquent six times as a juvenile, including on domestic violence charges.
"You were shown what happens when you don't follow the law. You were shown what happens when you don't follow the rules." Barsanti said. "You would think someone would learn something.
"You didn't care if you had a license. You didn't care how fast you were going."
Kelly's attorney asked for probation, saying Bley's car insurance company had ruled Bley was more liable in the crash than Kelly.
Bley, 36, was an integration technician for computer hardware at Zones. He also performed improvisation comedy at the Bughouse Theater in Chicago.
Kelly told Barsanti he was taking responsibility for the crash, that he wanted to apologize to Bley's family, and that he prays for the family daily.
In asking for prison time, Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Gay said Kelly never had a license, had multiple traffic charges before the crash and - while out on bond - picked up another charge for driving without a license.
Shortly before the crash, a red-light camera recorded Kelly driving at 90 mph in a 45 mph zone.
Kelly could have been sentenced to up to five years in prison.
Meanwhile, he awaits trial in Cook County on a weapons charge.