Hayrack Ride Crash: Woman Faces 6 Felony DUI Charges

KENDALL COUNTY, IL — A DeKalb woman named Kaitlin Minick was charged with six felony counts of aggravated DUI and bodily harm on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The charges against Minick are the result of a months-long investigation on the part of the Kendall County Sheriff's Office and the Kendall County State's Attorney, and stem from an Oct. 12, 2019 incident.

On that day, police say Minick, now 22 years old, hit a hayride trailer with 14 people in it on River Road between Blackhawk Road and Fox River Drive. 11 riders were injured. All were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

According to a summary of the October incident on the Kendall County Sheriff Facebook page, Minick was initially released at the scene after receiving a citation for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The tractor driver for the hay ride was also cited for improper tractor operation; operating a farm vehicle on a roadway that was not being used for farming.

Patch intended to ask police and law officials why Minick was released at the scene of the incident, and why the investigation took over four months. However, neither the Kendall County Sheriff's Office nor the Kendall County State's Attorney immediately responded to requests for comment.

The charges against Minick are class 4 felonies, which each carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison and fines up to $25,000. According to Kendall County Court records, her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2021. As of Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, she was being held at the Kendall County Corrections Facility on a $25,000 bond. She would have to post 10 percent, or $2,500, to be released.

All charges are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. This story will be updated should more information become available.