Truck Driver Pleads Guilty in Crash Near Channahon That Killed 5 People

JOLIET, IL — An Indiana truck driver who caused a wreck that killed five people in 2014 pleaded guilty Tuesday to five counts of reckless homicide and one count of falsifying the record of his driving status, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Francisco Espinal-Quiroz, 53, of Leesburg, Ind., entered a blind plea late Tuesday morning. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Circuit Judge David Carlson Feb. 15. Espinal-Quiroz faces between six and 28 years in prison.
Espinal-Quiroz was driving a red Freightliner Semi Tractor northbound on Interstate 55 near Channahon at about 2:15 p.m. on July 21, 2014, when he entered a construction zone in which traffic had slowed to between 3-5 mph. Espinal-Quiroz, however, had set his cruise control and was traveling at 65 mph when he entered the construction zone, eventually striking a 2012 Kia Soul occupied by Kimberly Britton, 43, Piper Britton, 11, and Timothy Osburn, 64. Kimberly and Piper were killed on impact, while Osburn was airlifted to a Chicago hospital where he died 16 days later, the WCSAO said.

Also killed in the crash were Ulrike Blopleh, 48, who was a passenger in a 2000 Chevrolet Astrovan, and Vicky Palacios, 54, who was in a 2008 Dodge Avenger. Both vehicles were struck by the defendant’s truck.
The investigation revealed that the defendant had started his work day at 2:30 a.m. picking up steel at a warehouse in South Bend, Ind. His log book, however, falsely stated that he started his work day later, at 6:15 a.m., the SAO said. Espinal-Quiroz also is blind in his right eye, but had a waiver to drive a truck through the state of Indiana.

“This was a horrific crash that claimed the lives of five innocent people, including a young girl, and injured several others,” said State’s Attorney James Glasgow. “Our hearts go out to all of the victims and their families who are suffering such a tragic loss.”

photo via the Will County State's Attorney's Office