West Chicago resident Juana Rodriguez, 52, was sentenced Feb. 14 to seven years in prison in connection with an April 2006 drunken driving accident that killed an Aurora woman.
On Jan. 17, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol — causing death, in relation to the incident.
The sentence stems from allegations that at about 8:45 p.m. April 29 Rodriguez, who was driving northbound on Route 59 in West Chicago, suddenly turned her vehicle into southbound traffic near Conde Street.
Unable to take evasive action, a southbound pick-up truck collided with the passenger’s side of Rodriguez’s vehicle, critically injuring Rodriguez’s passenger, 40-year-old Gladys Gonzalez. Gonzalez was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
An investigation into the accident revealed the presence of heroin, cocaine and marijuana in Rodriguez’s blood, the DuPage state’s attorney’s office said.
“On April 29, 2006, Gladys Gonzalez lost her life in a horrible traffic accident, an accident that was 100 percent avoidable,” said DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett. “Juana Rodriguez’s illegal and reckless actions claimed the life of another woman. She never should have been behind the wheel of a motor vehicle that evening.”
