Chicago Man Sentenced in Deadly 2012 Crash
A Chicago man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for a DUI accident that caused the deaths of two young children, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Joey Chavez, 40, was previously found guilty of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence Causing the Death of Two or More Persons following a bench trial before Cook County Judge Lawrence Flood.
According to prosecutors, in the early evening hours on March 24, 2012, Chavez was driving a friend’s Mercury Mountaineer, traveling southbound on Western Boulevard at a high rate of speed. Chavez began to drive erratically, and at 43rd Street, ran a red light, swerved into oncoming traffic and sideswiped another vehicle. Chavez continued driving, swerving in and out of traffic and reaching speeds of nearly 70 mph. Chavez ran another red light at 45th Street and Western and crashed into the rear of a Dodge Neon with a family of four inside. The force of the crash caused the victims’ vehicle to spin around several times and strike a pole. The parents were severely injured but survived the crash. Their children, a five-year-old boy and ten-month-old girl, died from their injuries. Chavez was taken to the hospital for his injuries where his blood was drawn and tested positive for PCP and opiates.
Chavez appeared at a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago where Judge Flood imposed the 26 year sentence, which is to be served at 85 percent.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Emily Stevens and Karin Swanson and the Chicago Police Department for their work on this case.
