Pre-trial release denied for man accused in suburban DUI crash after hit-&-run, police chase

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. — Pre-trial release has been denied for a Batavia man accused in a DUI crash in the western suburbs that unfolded while he was allegedly fleeing from police after a separate hit-and-run.

Michael J. Fox, a 28-year-old Batavia resident, has been charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding and one count of aggravated DUI, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced Wednesday.

The charges stem from Fox’s alleged involvement in two crashes and a chase that unfolded in West Chicago and Warrenville on Monday afternoon.

According to prosecutors, it all began around 5 p.m. when officers with the Warrenville Police Department were called to the scene of a hit-and-run crash near Route 59 and Joliet Street in West Chicago.

As they made their way to the scene, one of the responding officers spotted the vehicle believed to have been involved in the crash and attempted a traffic stop.

After the officer activated his lights, the driver, who was later determined to be Fox, stopped at Williams Road and Butterfield Road, but prosecutors said that as the officer approached, Fox allegedly drove away along Butterfield Road.

Prosecutors said the officer followed Fox with his emergency lights activated, at times reaching speeds around 70 MPH.

As Fox and the officer approached the intersection of Route 59 and Butterfield Road in Warrenville, prosecutors said Fox allegedly disobeyed a red light at the intersection and crashed into a Honda CRV occupied by two people.

Following the crash, Fox was taken into custody, but during his arrest, officers noticed an odor of alcohol about him and said his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Additionally, officers allegedly spotted a bottle of alcohol in the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Prosecutors say a breathalyzer later indicated that Fox’s BAC was 0.267 at the time of the crash, over three times the legal limit.

The occupants of the CRV suffered minor injuries in the crash and were later hospitalized.

“Illinois law requires that when you are involved in a traffic accident, you must remain at the scene until authorities arrive,” Berlin said. “The allegations that instead of stopping, Mr. Fox ignored the law and fled the scene, only to then lead police on a high-speed chase are shocking. To make matters worse, it is alleged that Mr. Fox then crashed into a second vehicle, sending two innocent people to the hospital and was later found to have a BAC of .267, more than three times the legal limit.”

In addition to the felony charges, Fox was also charged with multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses, including DUI, reckless driving, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and transportation of open alcohol by driver.
 
Fox is set to return to court on Sept. 8.