Joliet man charged with reckless homicide in deadly Homer Glen crash

A Joliet man has been charged with the reckless homicide of two people in a deadly crash that occurred last year in Homer Glen.

At 12:16 p.m. Friday, Christopher Haramija, 38, of Joliet, was taken into custody after he surrendered himself to the Joliet Police Department on charges of reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence and reckless conduct.

Haramija was released from custody after posting 10% of his $100,000 bond. The warrant for his arrest was issued Sept. 14, about four days before the statewide implementation of cashless bail.

On June 21, 2022, Haramija was the driver of a Nissan Xterra that collided with a Hyundai occupied by Kathleen Repsis, 73, and Adrian Spaargaren, 77, in Homer Glen, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Repsis was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office. Spaargaren was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, where he died.

On Sept. 14, a grand jury indicted Haramija on charges that accused him of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving recklessly in the incident that resulted in the deaths of Repsis and Spaargaren.

Haramija also was accused of recklessly causing great bodily harm to Joni Radaszewksi, the daughter of the two victims. Radaszewski filed a lawsuit against Haramija that still is pending in court. The next status hearing for the case has been set for Oct. 27.

Radaszewski’s lawsuit alleged that Haramija drove his vehicle at an unreasonably high rate of speed, failed to exercise care and caution, failed to keep a lookout and failed to apply brakes to avoid a collision.

The lawsuit said Haramija “carelessly and negligently crossed into the opposite lane of traffic causing a head-on collision.”