Frankfort Man Charged In Wife's 110 MPH Crash Death Claimed Brakes Failed: Prosecutors

FRANKFORT, IL — Prosecutors want to keep a Frankfort man in jail until trial after he was charged with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in the May 2025 crash death of his wife, 54-year-old Nichelle Hampton.

UPDATE: 110 MPH Deadly Crash In Frankfort: Husband's Incarceration Angers Defense Attorney Dave Carlson

A pretrial detention hearing for David Hampton, 56, is set for Thursday before Will County Judge Amy Christiansen. His defense attorney is former Will County judge Dave Carlson.

Prosecutors say Hampton was driving over 110 mph moments before the crash and had a blood alcohol concentration almost twice the legal limit.

According to Will County Circuit Court documents, a 911 call came in at 9:33 p.m. on May 5, 2025, reporting that a Nissan Maxima had crashed into a tree on St. Francis Road near Francis Lane in Frankfort.

David was in the driver's seat, wearing his seat belt, and Nichelle was in the front passenger seat. The car had heavy passenger-side damage, according to court documents.

David told police he lost control of the vehicle, that the brakes went out, and that he had to swerve to avoid a vehicle coming the other way crossing into his lane, court documents state. He also told police he hadn't been drinking, prosecutors say.

David had minor injuries and was taken to Silver Cross Hospital, according to prosecutors. Nichelle, who was initially conscious and able to speak, had more severe injuries and was initially taken to Silver Cross before being transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she died on May 13, 2025, according to court filings.

Three witnesses at the scene told police that David's vehicle actually crossed into the wrong lane of traffic and "there were no other vehicles to evade," court documents allege. In fact, prosecutors say, witnesses' vehicle actually had to swerve out of the way of the Nissan.

A search warrant on David Hampton's vehicle's black box showed its speed at 110.6 mph five seconds before the crash, according to court documents. The speed limit is 45 mph on St. Francis Road. Prosecutors also say his BAC was .138, according to a sample taken about an hour and 15 minutes after the crash.

Nichelle Hampton was the medical director at WellBe Senior Medical, according to her LinkedIn page.

"I had the privilege of knowing Dr. Hampton for the past three years, and in that time, she left a lasting impression on my life," a coworker wrote on her obituary tribute wall. "Her kindness, warmth, and genuine spirit touched everyone who had the honor of crossing her path. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten."