Manhattan Man Airlifted, Charged With DUI After Crash: Sheriff

MANHATTAN, IL — A 51-year-old Manhattan man who had to be extricated and airlifted to a hospital following a single-car crash in Manhattan Township early Sunday was determined to have a BAC more than twice the legal limit, sheriff's police said Monday.

Pedro Chavez, of the 23900 block of Sunset Lakes Court in Manhattan suffered severe injuries in the crash, said Will County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Kathy Hoffmeyer.

Deputies were called Sunday just after 3 a.m. to the 24000 block of S. Kankakee Street, where they found Chavez in a 2019 Chevy Silverado, having driven off the road and into a culvert. The left rear of the truck was suspended off the ground on top of a natural gas pipeline, according to Will County Sheriff's police. There was severe damage to the entire vehicle, Hoffmeyer said.

Manhattan Fire Protection District extricated Chavez from the truck, and determined he had severe injuries. Chavez was taken to the Advocate Christ Medical Center trauma center via LifeNet helicopter. Chavez sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries, sheriff's police said. Medical staff learned his BAC to be .190.

Chavez was charged with DUI, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, no seat belt and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.