Wheeling Woman Charged With Felony DUI Following Multi-Vehicle Crash: Palatine PD

PALATINE, IL — A Wheeling woman has been charged with two felonies, along with other charges, following a multi-vehicle crash Friday night in which a passenger in another car and her two small children were injured after being struck head-on. Rosalba Ramirez-Fraga, 31, of the 200 block of N. Coach Road, was arrested and charged with the following

• felony aggravated driving under the influence (alcohol) causing bodily harm
• felony aggravated DUI (alcohol) with no valid insurance (Class 4 Felony)
• DUI alcohol
• no valid driver's license
• failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision
• illegal transportation of open alcohol
• additional business and petty offenses related to the traffic crashes

Ramirez-Fraga was in court Wednesday and will remain in the Cook County Jail until her next court date on Aug. 8.

Palatine police and firefighters responded to the crash near E. Dundee Road and N. Kennedy Road at around 10 p.m. Upon arrival, officers located multiple damaged vehicles, including a black Lexus that had collided head-on with a black Nissan. A 23-year-old female passenger from the Nissan, along with her two children—a 7-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl — were taken to area hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Lexus, Ramirez-Fraga was traveling northbound on N. Frontage Road when she rear-ended a gray Toyota. Police said she then continued into the westbound lanes of E. Dundee Road while driving eastbound, where she struck the Nissan head-on.

Officers observed signs of impairment, and Ramirez-Fraga admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash. Several open containers of alcohol were also recovered from her vehicle, according to police.