Drunken Driver Hits Child With Car Outside Farmers Market: Authorities

By Sam Borcia, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner | August 20, 2021 3:46 pm

A 76-year-old woman was arrested for driving drunk in Crystal Lake and hitting a child with her car, causing the child to suffer “severe injuries,” court documents said.

Janice M. Easty, 76, of the 400 block of Oxford Lane in Crystal Lake, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and three counts of driving under the influence.

Court documents said that Easty was driving her Toyota Avalon northbound on Country Club Road near Golf Road in Crystal Lake around 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Toyota struck a 9-year-old child, causing great bodily harm to the child, who suffered severe internal injuries, a criminal complaint said. The complaint alleged that Easty was under the influence of alcohol while driving the Toyota.

The incident occurred in front of the Farmers Market At The Dole in the 400 block of Country Club Road.

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A witness told Lake and McHenry County Scanner the child appeared to be a young girl. Easty was arrested at the scene by police, the witness said. Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Derek Hyrkas said a police report was not completed so he could not share specific details on the incident yet.

Hyrkas did say that the child is expected to survive.

Easty was released from the McHenry County Jail on Monday after posting 10% of a $15,000 bond, court records show.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.