A female driver, Jasmine Ortiz, 28, from Palatine, has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and causing a serious crash in Crystal Lake. The incident occurred at the intersection of Route 14 and Sands Road on October 5, 2020.

Emergency Response

Emergency services, including the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department, were dispatched to the scene following reports of a vehicle crash with injuries at approximately 1:45 a.m. Officers arrived to find a single vehicle that had collided with a pole, resulting in significant damage.

Collision Details

Investigations revealed that the vehicle had veered off the road while travelling eastbound on Route 14 before colliding with a traffic control pole at the intersection of Sands Road. Both the driver, Jasmine Ortiz, and an adult passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.

Medical Treatment

Both individuals were taken to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry via ambulance for treatment. The passenger’s injuries were deemed serious enough to require air transportation, and they were subsequently flown by a LifeNet medical helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for further medical attention.

Legal Proceedings

Jasmine Ortiz was initially charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class A misdemeanor. However, the charges were later upgraded to two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing a crash involving bodily harm, a Class 4 felony. Following a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence causing a crash involving bodily harm.

Sentencing and Conditions

McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis approved the plea agreement and sentenced Ortiz to 180 days in the McHenry County Jail. In addition to her jail term, Ortiz was also placed on two years of probation and ordered to attend DUI school and a victim impact panel. She must also abstain from drugs and alcohol during her probationary period.

Ortiz is currently serving her jail sentence with day-for-day credit and has already received credit for the 12 days she spent in custody prior to sentencing.