Geneva Teen Charged With Reckless Homicide In Fatal DUI Crash

GENEVA, IL – A Geneva teen accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that left a teen passenger in his SUV dead now faces reckless homicide and DUI charges, authorities said. Raphael Peruzza, of the 2000 block of Eldorado Drive in Geneva, is being held at the Kane County Jail on a $2 million bond following the Friday crash. The single-vehicle collision occurred at about 2:15 a.m. when Peruzza was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee south on Burr Road, according to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff's Office.

The SUV went off the road and flipped, coming to rest in a treeline on the east side of Burr Road south of Bolcum Road in St. Charles Township. The vehicle started on fire and. Authorities extinguished the blaze and found a passenger in the SUV, Nicholas Hanson, 19, found dead inside, police said.

Peruzza was able to get out of the vehicle before emergency personnel arrived. He was taken to Delnor Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

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A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of reckless homicide, aggravated DUI accident causing death, driving in the wrong lane and driving too fast for conditions, according to a news release. On Saturday, Peruzza was taken from the hospital to the Kane County Adult Justice Center where he remained in custody early Sunday, according to online jail records.

The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and members of the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team.

Photo via Kane County Sheriff's Office