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February 14, 2007

$5 million bond for driver in fatal crash

$5 million bond for driver in fatal crash

Bond was set at $5 million and an arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for the Aurora woman charged in connection with a crash that killed four Oswego teenagers and injured four others.

Driver Sandra Vasquez, 23, also was seriously injured in the early Sunday morning crash on Route 31. But her condition has steadily improved, making her arrest more likely.

Hospital officials listed her in fair condition Tuesday evening at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, an improvement from serious condition Monday and critical condition Sunday.

"We'll see her when she gets out, though we don't expect her for a while," said Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis.

Prosecutors have charged Vasquez, who was driving the eight Oswego teens home from a party in Boulder Hill, with 12 felony counts including reckless homicide and aggravated drunken driving.

As police continue investigating how Vasquez's four-door Infiniti Q30 ended up slamming into a utility pole at about 2:20 a.m., grieving families made their funeral arrangements while parents of the injured teens looked for signs of hope.

Hoping for recovery

Officials at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood declined to release a condition report for 16-year-old Joshua Dillon, but his father was optimistic Tuesday as he talked happily about his son.

Kelly Dillon said Joshua was doing well after the 10-hour surgery Sunday on his broken femur, arm and pelvic bone, and expects, "God willing," that Joshua will be discharged from the hospital to a rehabilitation center by the beginning of next week.

He said he explained the accident to his son, but Joshua's recollection of the night was "minimal."

As investigators wait for the Oswego High sophomore's memory to improve before they begin asking questions, Kelly Dillon said he wants to take the attention away from what should have happened that night and focus on his son's recovery and those who have supported his family.

"This kid has made some huge triumphs in the last 24 hours," Dillon said. "There's kids still fighting for their lives. As a community, we all really need to learn from this.

"We're not saying that our kids are perfect, or that we as parents are. It's not that we let Josh run the streets in the middle of the night. That's not what happened. He made a mistake. But we don't feel we should chastise the whole teenage community because of one mistake."

Other victims

Officials at Rush-Copley Medical Center listed 16-year-old Arielle Rexford in good condition Tuesday evening, an improvement from fair condition on Monday.

Her mother also released a statement through the hospital Tuesday, urging visitors not to drive to the hospital on the dangerous, snow-covered roads.

"We do not want anyone else hurt," Teresa Rexford wrote. "Arielle is still recovering and is very much grieving the loss of her friends."

Robert Larsen, 15, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where officials declined to give a condition Tuesday.

Another victim, James McGee, 14, was taken to Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora on Sunday, but officials there Tuesday said he was transferred to another hospital. Officials at Good Samaritan Hospital and Loyola University Medical Center said they had not admitted McGee. Officials at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge said they could not release information about a minor and declined to say if he was transferred there.

Funeral services for all four of the teens who were killed in the crash have been scheduled.

Reached at home Tuesday afternoon, Anthony Urso was preparing the arrangements for his daughter. She was the second oldest of four girls, and though "she had a lot going on" in her life as she dealt with her parents' divorce, Tiffany always tried to stay "as happy as she can be," he said.

A badminton champion and an Oswego High junior, "she always did it her way," her father said. "She had a mind of her own."

Also killed in the crash were Matthew Frank, 17; Katherine Merkel, 14; and Jessica Nutoni, 15.

Ongoing investigation

Oswego Detective Rob Sherwood said Tuesday that police are still investigating the party the teens attended -- including who was there and who supplied the alcohol -- and the events leading up to the crash.

Police have spoken to the residents of the Boulder Hill home where the party was held, but declined to say whether charges would be filed against them.

"There are so many people we need to discuss this with," Sherwood said. "We don't have access to all the victims yet."

Police would not release the names of the residents of the house or whether police took any evidence from the house.

On the door of the home believed to be the location of the party, a raised blue-gray ranch house in the 0-99 block of Woodcliff Road, a sign was posted Tuesday afternoon warning that trespassers "will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law." Beneath the message was the typed name of Kendall County Sheriff Richard Randall.

No one answered the door at the home Tuesday, and a phone number listed with the address was not working.