Driver in fatal Maple Park crash that killed 4-year-old sentenced to prison

A Kane County judge sentenced a driver to 12.5 years in prison for his guilty plea to felony DUI-cannabis, in a crash near Maple Park which killed a four-year-old girl in 2022, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Edgar Barrios, 22, of DeKalb, also pleaded guilty to felony aggravated DUI-cannabis causing great bodily harm.

Barrios made his guilty plea Nov. 20, 2024, in exchange for not being prosecuted on 14 other charges. These ranged from reckless homicide, obstructing identification, driving on a suspended license, speeding 21 to 25 miles over the limit of 55 miles an hour, and improper lane use, court records show.

Judge D.J. Tegeler accepted the plea and sentenced Barrios Feb. 28.

Assistant State’s Attorneys David Belshan and Hillary Sadler presented the following facts in court, that at 6:40 p.m. Oct. 1, 2022, Barrios was driving a Chrysler 200 eastbound on Illinois Route 38 west of Francis Road on his way to a cannabis dispensary in St. Charles.

Barrios was near Maple Park when he crossed the center line into oncoming traffic. He struck a 2018 Jeep Compass traveling west and then a 2010 Subaru Forester, police officials said in a news release at that time.

The girl, Paityn Moore, was properly secured in a child safety seat in the Jeep. She was first taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, then flown to Lurie Children’s Hospital where she died, according to the release.

The girl’s mother, Antwoineia Blanton, 30, of DeKalb, was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove with non-life threatening but serious injuries, according to the release.

The driver of the Subaru, Katie Petravick, 30, of Washington, Illinois, was treated and released at the scene, according to the release.

Barrios was taken to Delnor, then transferred to Loyola Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, according to the release.

The Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services in Chicago tested blood and urine samples collected from Barrios at the hospital, determining that he had THC in his blood, according to the release and court records.

Illinois law sets the limit of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, at 5 nanograms per milliliter to be considered impaired. A nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

Barrios’ testing showed a level of 6.6 ng/ml Delta-9 TCH in his blood, according to the release.

In accordance with Illinois law, Barrios must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He will receive credit for 829 days served in the Kane County jail, according to the release.

“Edgar Barrios used bad judgment and made a selfish decision to get into a car and drive while he was under the influence of cannabis,” Belshan said in the release.

“He blatantly disregarded the law and the safety of others. That decision cost a four-year-old girl her life and caused serious injuries to her mother,” Belshan said in the release. “The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of his actions and hopefully will prevent others from making the decision to drive while under the influence of cannabis or other drugs.”

Belshan also thanked the Kane County Sheriff’s Office for its investigation of the crash.