Meth Was In Teen's System During Fatal Crash: Prosecutors

NAPERVILLE, IL — DuPage county officials said the 17-year-old boy who fatally hit a motorcyclist in September of having methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash. Samuel Horvath, who will be charged as an adult, is facing two counts of aggravated DUI resulting in a death, according to State's Attorney's Office spokesman Paul Darrah.

On Sept. 9, the teen was cited for failure to yield as he was turning left at the corner of 75th Street and Plainfield-Naperville Road. Horvath allegedly struck 21-year-old Calabria Taber's motorcycle with his 2011 Acura MDX, police said. Taber was pronounced dead the next day at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove; Horvath was uninjured in the crash.

Horvath's attorney, Bradley Harris, told the Naperville Sun that video footage and initial witness accounts contradict the prosecutors' claims and show his client did not lose control of the car he was driving. He pointed out that Taber was seen going through the intersection at a high rate of speed. The Sun also reported that the defense will file a motion to move the case into the juvenile court system because, according to Harris, his client is "a great kid trying to go to college."

Patch's attempts to reach Harris by phone were not immediately successful.

Julie Parrilli, Taber's mother, declined to discuss the case with the Naperville Sun, other than to denounce the fact that drugs were involved.

Darrah made it clear that the prosecutors are coming forward with allegations that Mr. Horvath had meth in his system at the time of the crash, which has not yet been proven in the court of law. Court documents read, "He drove or was in actual physical control of a 2011 Acura MDX while under the influence of drugs or intoxicating compounds, being methamphetamine, and was involved in a motor vehicle crash, resulting in the death of Tabor."

The teen's Dec. 29 court date was stricken and pushed back to Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. for a hearing. Judge John Kinsella will hear the defense's motion to transfer the case to a juvenile courtroom, according to Darrah.

As an adult, however, Horvath could be looking at three to seven years at the Illinois Dept. of Corrections depending on the results of the trial. His charges were secured Nov. 27. Darrah confirmed he posted bond Nov. 30.

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