A 21-year-old Illinois woman was charged with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in a car accident that killed a Cook County Sheriff’s deputy. Along with the two felony counts, she was also charged with escape for trying to flee a hospital emergency room.
According to Chicago police, Monzerat Perez was driving a 2004 Jeep Cherokee when she crashed into Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Theofanopoulos. Theofanopoulos, 39, had been on his way to work in his 2006 Nissan Altima when the head-on collision occurred.
Authorities said another motorist who saw the Jeep described Perez as driving “erratically.” In addition, the vehicle’s front headlights were allegedly not on. Emergency workers helped Perez out of the Jeep and transported her to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Theofanopoulos was taken to the same hospital, where he was pronounced dead due to multiple injuries sustained in the crash.
In the emergency room, Perez admitted to consuming multiple types of alcohol before the accident, including vodka, gin and wine. Her blood alcohol level was over three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Perez allegedly pulled out her IV and tried to flee the emergency room while unclothed. Officers outside her room detained and handcuffed her. However, she attempted to run away again before being stopped a second time.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg to learn about the possibility of obtaining compensation for your injuries.