A 41-year-old Joliet man who fled Illinois after being charged with aggravated DUI in the 2009 death of a motorcyclist was re-indicted Wednesday on a three-count aggravated DUI charge.
Ramiro Alcantar, formerly of the 500 block of Shelby Street, is charged with DUI/alcohol, DUI/drugs and DUI/combination alcohol and drugs.
Will County State’s Attorney Spokesman Charles Pelkie said the new charges reflect a determination that Alcantar’s blood-alcohol concentration allegedly was above the legal limit the time of the crash, as well as the subsequent discovery of cocaine traces in a blood specimen taken from him.
Alcantar was driving either a van or a pickup truck on Joliet’s east side on Aug. 16, 2009, when he collided with a motorcycle driven by Cesar Vallejo, authorities said.
Police arriving on the scene reported Alcantar smelled of alcohol, seemed confused and failed a walk-and-turn test. They also reported finding a half-full 12-ounce can of beer in the center console of Alcantar’s van.
Alcantar initially was charged with injuring another person while driving drunk and lesser charges of illegally transporting alcohol and driving without insurance.
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Vallejo was transported from the scene with head injuries and died a few weeks later.
A relative put up Alcantar’s cash bail, set at $5,000 and he failed to return to court on Sept. 11 that year. Officials issued a warrant charging him with failure to appear in court, although they believed he had fled to Mexico.
But Alcantar hadn’t left the United States, and on Feb. 18 he was arrested in Springdale, Ark. on the warrant.
Aggravated DUI is a Class 2 felony with a sentencing range, if convicted of 3 to 7 years in prison.
Will County Sheriff’s online information indicates Alcantar is being held without bond.
Attorney Michael Renzi has represented Alcantar as a public defender since Alcantar’s return to Illinois. Renzi said Wednesday that Alcantar is now being represented by unknown private counsel.
Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter