Man Crashed Into Ruby Street Bridge 2 Hours After He Stopped Drinking Alcohol: Joliet PD

JOLIET, IL — A 33-year-old Joliet man was arrested on felony charges of aggravated DUI after he crashed into the Ruby Street Bridge in the middle of the night, Joliet police noted.

The drunken driver, according to the arrest reports, was Felix L. Alejos, 33, of Joliet. He was arrested on charges of aggravated DUI/no insurance, DUI/alcohol, operating an uninsured vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

According to police spokesman Tizoc Landeros, at around midnight on Thursday, fellow officers were dispatched to the west side of the Ruby Street Bridge for a single-vehicle crash. The caller advised that a vehicle had struck the bridge and no one appeared to be exiting.

The officers found a white Toyota SUV resting on its driver’s side in the westbound lanes, with the front-end facing north.

Landeros said the officers made contact with the sole occupant and driver, Alejos, who was standing outside the vehicle. He appeared uninjured and only complained of a small cut to his hand, for which he refused medical attention from responding paramedics.

Joliet police said Alejos exhibited behaviors consistent with alcohol and/or drug impairment and when asked if he had insurance, said he did not. He admitted to consuming alcohol approximately two hours before the crash, the arrest report showed.

Alejos refused to complete field sobriety tests or provide a breath sample and was subsequently taken into custody without incident, Landeros said.

Alejos told officers that he had been driving westbound on Columbia Street when he struck a curb, lost control, hit the bridge, and rolled over. Officers observed blue paint transfer on the passenger side of the Toyota consistent with the bridge’s metal structure, indicating impact with the northeast corner of the bridge.

The bridge attendant told officers that the bridge did not sustain any disabling damage but did have visible scratches on the northeast side of the frame. Mechanics were scheduled to inspect the bridge in the morning, and traffic resumed once emergency vehicles cleared the area.

As for Alejos, he was taken to the Joliet Police booking area, where he was processed and released on a notice to appear in Will County court.

The Toyota SUV was towed from the scene.