A Chicago man faces the prospect of significant prison time after the Cook County State’s Attorney approved four felony charges against him in connection with a fatal crash in Riverside on March 29.
Solomon Aguilera, 27, of Chicago was charged on March 31 with one count of aggravated driving under the influence causing death, one count of reckless homicide and two counts of DUI causing bodily harm. The first DUI charge is a Class 2 felony, which carries a possible prison sentence of three to 14 years, if convicted.
The reckless homicide charge is a Class 3 felony, carrying possible prison time of up to 12 years. The other two DUI charges are Class 4 felonies.
On April 1, a Cook County Circuit Court judge set Aguilera’s bond at $300,000, and required the full amount for bail, fearing Aguilera is a flight risk. The hearing was held at the Maybrook courthouse in Maywood.
At the bond hearing, Officer Edwin Ruiz of the Riverside police department testified that after being charged, Aguilera made a phone call to his wife. Speaking in Spanish, Aguilera reportedly told his wife to get money together and pack the family’s belongings to flee to Mexico after posting bail.
Ruiz, who speaks Spanish, had notified the Cook County State’s Attorney of the conversation before the bond hearing.
According to police, Aguilera has been convicted twice of DUI and, at the time of the crash, was driving with a revoked license.
Police allege that Aguilera drove his Ford Crown Victoria over the center line of First Avenue just south of 31st Street on March 29, striking a Land Rover head on. The impact of the crash killed 57-year-old Angelina Meza, of Chicago, and injured her 62-year-old sister, Margarita Rios, and her 44-year-old brother, David Meza, who was driving the Land Rover. A 16-year-old boy in the rear seat of the vehicle was not injured.
On Monday afternoon, Rios was listed in critical condition at Loyola University Medical Center. David Meza was listed in fair condition.
After striking the Land Rover, Aguilera’s car also hit a Dodge Caravan carrying a family of seven. No one in the minivan was seriously injured. Aguilera suffered a broken nose and cuts and bruises in the crash.
Riverside Officer Ruiz said the investigation remains open and that additional felony charges may be added. Aguilera appeared for a status hearing at Maybrook on Monday, but the hearing was continued until May 14. He remains in Cook County Jail.