Serious Head-On Crash In Joliet: 4 Felony DUI Charges For Joliet Man

JOLIET — Nine months after 47-year-old Nicholson Street resident David Gonzalez crashed into another Joliet motorist because Gonzalez was intoxicated from drinking too much alcohol at the time, according to Joliet police, the Joliet man has been charged with four felony crimes of aggravated driving under the influence.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events led to this week's felony DUI for David Gonzalez

Way back on December 23, 2023, at 5:51 p.m., the officers responded to South Center Street and Morgan Street for a crash with injuries.

A Dodge Challenger driven by Gonzalez was southbound on South Center Street at Morgan Street and the Dodge crossed over the raised median and struck a Ford Focus head on, driven by a then 17-year-old Joliet boy.

Gonzalez was taken to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center by the Joliet Fire Department with serious injuries and then was transferred to Loyola University Medical Center for further treatment. The driver of the Ford was taken to Silver Cross Hospital by the Joliet Fire Department and an adult male passenger of the Ford was taken to Ascension St Joseph Medical Center by the Joliet Fire Department for treatment of their injuries.

During the investigation of this crash, it became apparent that alcohol was a major factor in this collision. Traffic Unit Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for four counts of Aggravated DUI for Gonzalez on September 17.

Gonzalez was placed into custody at a residence in the 500 block of Nicholson Street later that evening.

This week, Gonzalez spent two days in the Will County Jail until a Will County judge ordered his release from detention. The original warrant issued for his arrest, from Judge Ted Jarz, ordered that Gonzalez be held without release and brought before the court for pretrial detention or a condition of release hearing.