A 22-year-old West Chicago man was sentenced to ten years in prison after entering into a plea deal related to a fatal head-on collision in 2023.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that Jaime Damian appeared in Court this afternoon where he entered an agreed plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated DUI – Accident Causing Death (a Class 2 Felony) and one count of Aggravated DUI – Great Bodily Harm (a Class 4 Felony) in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh, who handed down the sentence.
On September 14, 2023, at approximately 1:25pm, Damian was driving his 2009 Honda westbound on Roosevelt Road east of Indian Knoll Road, when he crossed over a double yellow line into oncoming traffic and struck a 2004 Lincoln sedan. The occupants of the Lincoln were identified as Jose Correa, who was driving, and his wife Maria, who was a passenger.
Firefighters extracted Jose and Maria from their vehicle and immediately transported the couple to a local hospital for medical attention. Damian was also transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Jose was later pronounced deceased at the hospital after succumbing to injuries he sustained from the crash. Maria suffered a broken wrist and bruises on her legs.
Through the course of their investigation, officers learned that at the time of the crash, Damian had cocaine in his system.
“This afternoon, Jaime Damian learned that his decision to drive after he had been using cocaine will cost him the next ten years of his life,” Berlin said. “This cost however, pales in comparison to the price that Jose Correa’s wife, family and friends must now pay with just memories of Jose to comfort them and see them through the rest of their lives. The sad truth is that this tragedy, like all driving-impaired fatalities, was 100% avoidable had Mr. Damian not gotten behind the wheel that afternoon.”
Damian will be required to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
