Driver who killed Downers Grove North student gets 7 years

DOWNERS GROVE - A Naperville man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for striking a 17-year-old Downers Grove North student with his car and killing her in February 2019.

Joseph Kucharski, 52, with a last known address in Naperville, on Jan. 9 entered a blind plea of guilty, which means there was no agreement on sentencing with the state, to one count of aggravated DUI-alcohol/drugs causing death and one count of reckless homicide, in front of DuPage County Judge Alex McGimpsey, who handed down today’s sentence, according to a DuPage County State's Attorney's Office news release.

Under current Illinois law, the maximum penalty for aggravated DUI-alcohol/drugs causing death is 14 years in the prison, which the state had requested.

Downers Grove police on Feb. 19 at about 10:55 a.m. responded to a report of a person, later identified as Elizabeth Dunlap, struck by a car in the intersection of Main and Grant streets, just steps away from the main entrance to Downers Grove North High School.

An investigation into the incident revealed that Dunlap was on her way to school crossing Main Street within the marked crosswalk, in conjunction with the “Walk” signal, when she was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes on Main Street.

The investigation further revealed that the vehicle, driven by Kucharski, entered the intersection at Grant Street against a red light. At the time of the crash, Kucharski had a blood alcohol content of 0.031 and exhibited signs of impairment when interviewed by police, according to the release.

Kucharski had alcohol, Xanax and cocaine in his system. Police also found two crack pipes, crack cocaine and other drugs as well as vodka and beer at a hotel room in which Kucharski was staying, the release stated. In his car authorities found Xanax, Benadryl and suboxone.

Dunlap suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead from her injuries on Feb. 22. That same day, DuPage County Judge Robert Miller issued a $5 million arrest warrant for Kucharski. Four days later, Kucharski appeared in bond court where bond was set at $750,000. On May 15, 2019, Kucharski posted the necessary $75,000, or 10 percent, of his bond and was released from custody.

“On February 19, 2019, Joseph Kucharski’s incredibly reckless actions killed 17-year-old Beth Dunlap,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “This senseless loss of such a young, promising life also deeply wounded the entire community, hitting the students and staff at Downers Grove North High School, where Beth was a standout member of the student body, particularly hard. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and suffering Beth’s family and friends have endured since her passing – a pain they will undoubtedly carry with them for the rest of their lives.

“It is my sincerest hope that those who loved Beth will someday be able to remember her not only with a heavy heart and a tear in their eye but with a smile on their face. While I respect the judge’s decision, this case warranted the maximum punishment of 14 years. This tragic case also exposed what I believe to be inadequate sentencing parameters available to the court that do not equate the loss with the punishment."

Berlin said he plans to introduce legislation in Dunlap's honor that will further protect children when going to and leaving school, the release stated.

Kucharski will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.