Teen Kept Quiet About Killing 2 Cyclists Before Judge Gave Him Plea Deal For Speeding: Motion

JOLIET, IL — Prosecutors want to take back a plea deal granted to a teen who kept quiet in court about killing two cyclists in another county, according to a motion filed Tuesday.

Denver Vandover III, 16, was granted court supervision, fined $450 and ordered to attend traffic safety school when he pleaded guilty to speeding June 28.

Vandover was clocked at 87 mph in a 55 mph zone on Interstate 80 near Center Street in Joliet on June 4, the motion said.

Vandover’s mother and his attorney, Ryan Wharrie, accompanied him to the court date where he pleaded guilty and got court supervision, the motion said. The judge, listed in court records as Chrystel Gavlin, asked “Anything in aggravation?” and the “only response was from the Assistant State’s Attorney who said: ‘Nothing in aggravation,’” according to the motion.

When the judge “asked for mitigation, defense counsel responded: ‘We waive,’” the motion said.

Vandover and his lawyer conveniently neglected to mention that he “had already been charged with two additional and entirely separate traffic offenses, one of which involved the death of two people who had been riding their bicycles on the side of the road,” the motion said.

Exactly one week before he stood silent when a judge asked if there were any factors that might make his sentence more severe, Vandover “received a second citation for speeding 26-34 miles per hour over the limit” in LaSalle County, the motion said. “This is the very same charge as in the case before this Court.”

Just hours after he got the speeding ticket in LaSalle, according to the motion, “while driving in Grundy County, (Vandover) struck and killed Mark and Janice Wendling, both age 53, who had been riding their bicycles along the side of the road.”

“Shortly after the accident, a witness saw (Vandover) get out of his SUV and throw something into the woods, which (he) admitted was a ‘ten cent bag,’” the motion said. “The contents of the bag field tested positive for marijuana.”

Vandover's mother apparently didn't say anything to the judge about his other two cases either.

The Grundy County Circuit Clerk's website shows no criminal cases on file for Vandover, but they could be under seal.

Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason Helland did not immediately respond to a call for comment.

A receptionist at Wharrie’s Coal City law office said he was not available.

The motion filed Tuesday seeks to “vacate the plea agreement because (Vandover) perpetrated a fraud upon the court and the People of the State of Illinois."