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News
Defendant in crash that killed five teens back in court : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisDefendant in crash that killed five teens back in court
| Vasquez's bond kept at $750,000; judge to consider GPS fee reduction request
| by Tony Scott
| 11/5/2009
|
An Aurora woman facing homicide and drunk driving charges in a fatal 2007 crash in Oswego in which five teenagers died appeared in court for the first time in nearly two years last Friday.
Prosecutors say Sandra Vasquez was driving a four-door 2001 Infiniti sedan packed with eight teenagers early in the morning of Feb. 11, 2007, when the vehicle struck and sheared off a wooden utility pole along the east side of Ill. Route 31 opposite River Run Boulevard.
Katherine Merkel, age 14; Tiffany Urso, 16, Jessica Nutoni, 15, and Matthew Frank, 17, all of Oswego, were pronounced dead at the crash scene. James McGee, 14, died of his injuries one week later.
Three other teens were injured and taken to area hospitals, and were later released.
Vasquez pled not guilty to charges of aggravated drunken driving and reckless homicide in March of 2007. Vasquez's parents put up their house to pay for her $75,000 bond.
In November of 2007, Vasquez's attorneys successfully sought to suppress a videotaped confession by Vasquez taken at the hospital as she was recovering from her injuries sustained in the crash.
However, Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis appealed the ruling from the Circuit Court to the Second District Appellate Court. The Appellate Court overturned the ruling in July.
Vasquez was released from the requirements of her bond in November of 2007 pending the appeal.
Judge upholds bond
Last Friday, Vasquez appeared at a hearing at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville. The courtroom was packed with members of the victims' families and supporters of Vasquez.
Vasquez's attorney, Kathleen Colton of Geneva, asked Judge Clint Hull to allow Vasquez to be released on her own recognizance in lieu of having to post bond.
Colton argued that Vasquez has not left Illinois in the last two years and is now a caretaker of her elderly grandmother and her two young children at her parents' house in Aurora. Vasquez's mother testified on her behalf.
"She has had the opportunity to leave the state of Illinois and has not done so," Colton said.
But Weis argued that if the appeal had not taken place, Vasquez would still be on the conditions of her bond. He said that the house was still available to be used for bond.
Hull kept the $75,000 bond for Vasquez. Colton said at the hearing that the house would again be used for the bond.
Colton also asked that Vasquez not be required to pay a daily fee for GPS monitoring of her client, arguing that Vasquez is not paid for her work taking care of her grandmother. Hull said he would consider a reduction of the fee and that the court would need to determine if there was a minimum amount to be paid.
A status hearing was set for Dec. 14 at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville.
An Aurora woman facing homicide and drunk driving charges in a fatal 2007 crash in Oswego in which five teenagers died appeared in court for the first time in nearly two years last Friday.
Prosecutors say Sandra Vasquez was driving a four-door 2001 Infiniti sedan packed with eight teenagers early in the morning of Feb. 11, 2007, when the vehicle struck and sheared off a wooden utility pole along the east side of Ill. Route 31 opposite River Run Boulevard.
Katherine Merkel, age 14; Tiffany Urso, 16, Jessica Nutoni, 15, and Matthew Frank, 17, all of Oswego, were pronounced dead at the crash scene. James McGee, 14, died of his injuries one week later.
Three other teens were injured and taken to area hospitals, and were later released.
Vasquez pled not guilty to charges of aggravated drunken driving and reckless homicide in March of 2007. Vasquez's parents put up their house to pay for her $75,000 bond.
In November of 2007, Vasquez's attorneys successfully sought to suppress a videotaped confession by Vasquez taken at the hospital as she was recovering from her injuries sustained in the crash.
However, Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis appealed the ruling from the Circuit Court to the Second District Appellate Court. The Appellate Court overturned the ruling in July.
Vasquez was released from the requirements of her bond in November of 2007 pending the appeal.
Judge upholds bond
Last Friday, Vasquez appeared at a hearing at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville. The courtroom was packed with members of the victims' families and supporters of Vasquez.
Vasquez's attorney, Kathleen Colton of Geneva, asked Judge Clint Hull to allow Vasquez to be released on her own recognizance in lieu of having to post bond.
Colton argued that Vasquez has not left Illinois in the last two years and is now a caretaker of her elderly grandmother and her two young children at her parents' house in Aurora. Vasquez's mother testified on her behalf.
"She has had the opportunity to leave the state of Illinois and has not done so," Colton said.
But Weis argued that if the appeal had not taken place, Vasquez would still be on the conditions of her bond. He said that the house was still available to be used for bond.
Hull kept the $75,000 bond for Vasquez. Colton said at the hearing that the house would again be used for the bond.
Colton also asked that Vasquez not be required to pay a daily fee for GPS monitoring of her client, arguing that Vasquez is not paid for her work taking care of her grandmother. Hull said he would consider a reduction of the fee and that the court would need to determine if there was a minimum amount to be paid.
A status hearing was set for Dec. 14 at the Kendall County Courthouse in Yorkville.
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