Fatal 135 MPH Crash In Wheaton: Judge Won't Increase Bond For Suspect

WHEATON, IL — A DuPage County judge has declined to increase bond for a Warrenville man charged with reckless homicide in a fiery Sept. 30 crash that claimed the life of a young Elgin woman in Wheaton. Prosecutors had asked for the bail increase after the driver, Brian Thunderkick, 62, had allegedly tested positive for barbiturates at the time of the collision with Erika Villagomez, 23.

Prosecutors requested that Judge George Bakalis increase bond from $150,000 to $2 million for additional charges that included aggravated driving under the influence, but Bakalis says there's not enough evidence to think of raising bond until those charges are filed, Daily Herald reports.

According to the prosecutors' petition, Thunderkick also told Wheaton police that he wanted to see how fast he could go before pressing the gas pedal "all the way down." The defendant also allegedly told police he wants his next car to be a Mustang.

Assistant state's attorney Kristen Johnston told Daily Herald that prosecutors also submitted dashcam video from the patrol car of a River Grove who was off-duty when Thunderkick allegedly sped past him on Butterfield just before making impact with Villagomez's vehicle.

Villagomez's Honda went up in flames and prosecutors allege that Thunderkick fought away an officer and tried to flee the scene while Villagomez was trapped inside the burning vehicle and bystanders struggled in vain to get her out. As a result, prosecutors are moving forward with pursuing charges of attempting to flee the scene of a deadly accident and aggravated battery.

Results are still pending on Thunderkick's full DUI results. According to Daily Herald, his lawyer, Brad Telander, alleges Thunderkick has been prescribed barbiturates for tremors and seizure disorder. At press time, no such prescription had been verified.

>>Image via DuPage County Jail

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