An Illinois man has been charged with five felony counts, including drunken driving, for a fatal wreck early July 25 in Hebron, police said.
Jeffrey Allen Keith, 41, of Glendale Heights, is charged with one Level 3 felony, two Level 4 felonies and two Level 5 felonies for the crash in which a passenger in his vehicle died. A warrant has been issued for Keith’s arrest, according to a release from the Hebron Police Department.
Martin Anthony McDermott, 37, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, died shortly after the wreck at Franciscan Health Crown Point, according to a release from the Lake County Coroner’s Office. McDermott died of blunt force trauma as a result of the crash, according to the release, and his death was ruled an accident.
Around 2:55 a.m. July 25, Hebron Police officers were dispatched to U.S. 231 and County Line Road for a single-vehicle crash, according to the release from that agency.
A white 2013 GMC Terrain had left the roadway and struck a high-tension electrical structure. First responders found McDermott outside the vehicle and he later died from injuries sustained in the crash, police said.
During the initial investigation, officers observed multiple indicators of alcohol impairment from Keith, including an odor of alcoholic beverage, bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, unsteady balance and stumbling, according to the release from police.
Keith declined a portable breath test and standardized field sobriety testing. Officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for a blood draw, according to the release.
Keith initially denied consuming alcohol during the investigation, police said, but during a follow-up interview with investigators, Keith later acknowledged consuming alcohol and stated that he had consumed “a few shots,” according to the release.
When asked what he believed his blood alcohol concentration would be, Keith stated, “Maybe a 0.1,” police said
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A blood sample obtained with a search warrant was submitted to the Indiana State Department of Toxicology for analysis. Testing determined Keith’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.257, more than three times Indiana’s legal limit of 0.08, police said.
Keith told investigators that McDermott was his best friend and that, after the crash, he located McDermott outside the vehicle. Keith stated that McDermott raised his arm and told him, “Jeff, I need some serious help,” according to the release.
Keith told officers that he returned to the vehicle to locate his phone so he could call for help, according to the release, but police said the evidence didn’t support that claim.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Keith’s cellphone and a review of the telephone records showed Keith made multiple calls trying to arrange for someone to come to the crash scene and pick him up, according to the release. Records showed that Keith never attempted to call 911 for police, fire, or emergency medical assistance, police said.
Witnesses who arrived at the crash scene before law enforcement and emergency medical personnel reported seeing Keith on his cellphone, walking around the vehicle and slamming the passenger door, according to the release. They did not observe Keith rendering any medical assistance to McDermott, police said.
The Porter County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team assisted the Hebron Police Department with a detailed reconstruction of the crash.
The Hebron Police Department thanked the Porter County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Team, the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indiana State Department of Toxicology and the Lake County Coroner’s Office and other agencies for their assistance.