Off-duty cop charged with driving drunk in crash that killed DeKalb woman

DeKALB – An off-duty south suburban Chicago police officer was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving while drunk stemming from a two-car crash that killed a woman in DeKalb about 1 a.m. Sunday, according to court records.

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office filed charges against James M. Corralejo, 25, of DeKalb early Sunday morning following the crash, which occurred at South Seventh and Taylor streets. Corralejo also was charged with improper lane use and failure to reduce speed, both misdemeanors.

Corralejo is a police officer with the village of South Holland in Cook County, a south suburb of Chicago, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Reckless homicide is a Class 3 felony. If convicted, Corralejo could face up to 10 years in prison. If convicted of both reckless homicide and aggravated DUI, he could be sentenced to an extended term of up to 14 years in prison.

Police alleged Corralejo was driving drunk when he caused the fatal crash. Corralejo admitted to drinking, police said. He submitted to field sobriety tests that showed he was impaired, according to DeKalb County court records.

DeKalb police were called to the 1200 block of South Seventh Street about 12:57 a.m. Sunday for reports of a “serious” two-vehicle crash, according to a DeKalb Police Department news release.

Corralejo was driving a 2013 GMC Sierra southbound on Seventh Street when the car struck another car carrying four people, according to court records.

DeKalb paramedics took all four occupants in the other car, including a driver and three passengers, one of them a minor, to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital. A woman passenger suffered “a severe extremity wound,” according to court records. She later was transferred to Rockford Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

All four people in the car Corralejo allegedly struck are from DeKalb.

DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd said Monday both vehicles had significant damage from the crash, including Corralejo’s which had serious front-end damage. Corralejo was not injured in the crash, Byrd said.

The other three people injured in the second vehicle, including a minor, suffered serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Byrd said. He did not have an update on their conditions as of 2:45 p.m. Monday.

DeKalb police officers at the crash site said Corralejo “showed signs of impairment,” according to court records. He submitted to standardized field sobriety tests, including a breath test which showed a blood-alcohol content level of 0.154%, almost twice the legal limit. Corralejo also submitted to a blood test at Kishwaukee Hospital. Those results are pending, prosecutors said Monday.

Corralejo was arrested Sunday morning, according to DeKalb Police Department arrest records.

He appeared via Zoom from the DeKalb County Jail for his first court appearance on Monday. In the live feed, Corralejo appeared alert and responsive to court officials, putting his head down multiple times as charges were read.

DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery ordered Corralejo released during a pretrial release hearing Monday afternoon.

Prosecutors filed a petition to deny Corralejo’s release, arguing that he was a danger to the public. But Montgomery cited Corralejo’s lack of criminal history and conditions that could be set to ensure the police officer wouldn’t be a danger to the public if released from jail. Corralejo will be placed on a device that monitors alcohol levels.

“You understand you can’t drink, right?” Montgomery asked Corralejo, who replied: “100%, your honor. Yes, I do.”

Both reckless homicide and aggravated DUI are detainable offenses under the new pretrial release guidelines outlined by the Illinois SAFE-T Act.

Montgomery denied Corralejo’s request for a public defender, saying he makes too much money. Corralejo said he makes about $77,000 per year as a South Holland police officer. He said he lives with his parents in DeKalb.

Corrajelo was ordered to next appear at 9 a.m. Dec. 20 at the DeKalb County Courthouse for arraignment.

Byrd expressed condolences to the family of the woman and urged the public to not drink and drive.

“At the end of the day, that’s all that matters in this whole scenario. Someone lost their life due to someone else doing something that was unlawful and inappropriate and morally wrong,” Byrd said. “Someone’s family lost a loved one and that’s the tragedy of it. We need to be mindful of that. There are so many other options except for drinking and driving.”