A 21-year-old driver, Jaime Torres Jr., has been sentenced to three years in prison for causing a tragic accident on Lake Shore Drive last year, which resulted in the death of his passenger.
Torres entered a guilty plea to aggravated DUI leading to a fatal crash in a deal approved by Judge Arthur Willis. As part of the sentencing, he will be required to serve 85 percent of his prison term.
According to authorities, Torres was driving erratically and exceeding speeds of 100 mph while heading north on Lake Shore Drive. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on May 9, 2024, when he swerved to avoid another vehicle, lost control, hit a curb, and subsequently collided with a light pole.
His passenger, 25-year-old Jorge Castillo from Des Plaines, tragically lost his life in the collision.
Footage captured by the Citizen app depicted officers extracting Torres from the severely damaged SUV; he appeared to have sustained no serious injuries.
In the subsequent police report, Torres claimed that he swerved to avoid being cut off by another driver, expressing concern when he noticed his cousin, the passenger, was unresponsive.
Furthermore, a blood alcohol test revealed that Torres had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.118, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 0.08.
Considering the time already served while awaiting trial, Torres is likely to be released in approximately 14 months, allowing for a partial completion of his sentence.
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