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SYCAMORE – The DeKalb man and suburban Chicago police officer accused of driving drunk while off duty, causing a crash that killed a DeKalb woman in November, wants his truck back from police evidence custody, court records show.
James M. Corralejo, 25, of DeKalb recently appeared in court for a status hearing on his charges of reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol.
He’s charged in the fatal DUI crash that killed DeKalb resident Graciela Reza Contreras, who was returning home from a family birthday party Nov. 5. She was one block from her home when Corralejo’s truck crashed into the vehicle carrying her and multiple other members of her family.
Prosecutors have alleged Corralejo knowingly got behind the wheel of his truck while drunk, causing the crash that left the 59-year-old mother and grandmother dead after suffering severe injuries.
Reza Contreras was remembered days after the crash by loved ones as a doting family matriarch and friend who loved to bake. She was a longtime DeKalb resident who worked at Portillo’s in Sycamore.
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Corralejo’s Aurora-based defense lawyer, Camic Johnson, filed a motion earlier this month asking a judge to order DeKalb police release his client’s truck and the contents inside the truck, court records show. Police have held the truck in custody as evidence since the fatal crash in November.
“[B]y the time this motion is heard, the State and the police will have had Defendant’s truck in their possession for almost 2 ½ months,” Corralejo’s attorneys wrote in court documents filed Jan. 2. “Amount of time is more than sufficient to collect whatever evidence the State intends to obtain.”
Montgomery has not yet ruled on Corralejo’s request. A followup hearing is expected at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore.
Prosecutors said Monday the Illinois State Police crime laboratory has not yet returned blood work results from Corralejo’s sobriety tests. Corralejo submitted to a blood test the night of the crash which could shed more light on whether he drove impaired, according to court records.
Corralejo pleaded not guilty to the charges Dec. 21 in front of DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery. Police allege in court records, however, that Corralejo admitted to drinking the night of the crash.
If convicted, he could serve between three to seven years in prison. If convicted of both reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated DUI, a Class 4 felony, he could be sentenced to an extended term of up to 14 years in prison.
Corralejo has been out of police custody on pretrial release since Nov. 7 at Montgomery’s order. Prosecutors had objected to his release, arguing he was a danger to the public.
In a DeKalb police synopsis, officers who responded to the crash alleged Corralejo “showed signs of impairment,” according to court records. He submitted to a breath test which showed a blood-alcohol content level of 0.154%, almost twice the legal limit.
Corralejo is not allowed to drink alcohol while he awaits trial. He also is court-ordered to wear an alcohol-monitoring device on his ankle at all times, which prohibits him from consuming alcohol pending court proceedings.
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. A statement released by the Village of South Holland Nov. 8 announced an internal investigation was underway following the DeKalb crash.