South Elgin man charged with DUI in Wayne crash that left two severely injured

A South Elgin man has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in a June crash in Wayne that left two people with severe injuries.

John A. Schwartz, 21, of the 600 block of Waterside Drive, South Elgin, has been charged with six counts of felony aggravated DUI and two counts of felony aggravated reckless driving.

According to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, at about 10 a.m. June 20, Schwartz was driving a 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck south on Dunham Road in the vicinity of Dunham Court in Wayne when his truck struck the back of the vehicle in front of him, setting into motion a four vehicle chain-reaction crash that left two other drivers seriously injured.

Schwartz was traveling well in excess of the posted 45 mph speed limit at the time of the crash, the release stated. One victim suffered multiple broken ribs and injuries to multiple vital organs.

The other victim suffered multiple broken bones in his leg that resulted in the leg being amputated, according to the release. As paramedics worked to extract him from the vehicle, they suffered puncture wounds from the victim’s bones that were protruding from his leg, according to the release.

Schwartz was released from Kane County Jail on Tuesday after posting 10 percent ($20,000) of a $200,000 bond. As a condition of posting bail, he is prohibited from consuming alcohol and controlled substances. In addition, he must submit to random drug and alcohol testing.

The Wayne Police Department and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team investigated the crash. Schwartz’s next court appearance is set for Sept. 22.