Drunken Driver Involved in 4 Crashes, Critically Injures 1: Prosecutors

A 62-year-old Glen Ellyn man faces several charges for driving drunk and causing four crashes Sunday--one of which critically injured another driver, prosecutors said on Monday.

Bond was set at $750,000 on Monday for Lawrence Sieber,of 89 S. Park Avenue in Glen Ellyn, who is charged with aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm in connection with the crash that happened just before 5 p.m. on Sunday in Villa Park. Authorities said Sieber t-boned another vehicle in the intersection of Ardmore and Jackson in Village Park and then fled the scene. The driver in that crash remained in the hospital Monday in critical condition.

Sieber would go on to cause three more crashes -- one in Villa Park and two in Lombard. During one of those crashes, authorities saw Sieber driving his truck on Roosevelt Road and began to pursue him. While stopped at a traffic light, Sieber allegedly rammed his truck into the car in front of him to avoid arrest. He was taken into custody at that time after a brief struggle with officers who had to forcibly remove him from the truck, according to a news release.

In addition to the aggravated DUI charge, Sieber also is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated reckless driving. All of the charges are Class 4 felonies.

“Operating a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right,” said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin. “And operating a motor vehicle after you have been drinking is not only against the law, it is extremely dangerous and puts the entire public at risk. What I find particularly disturbing in this case is the allegation that after Mr. Sieber crashed his truck into another vehicle he fled the scene in an effort to save his own hide.”

Sieber is next expected in court in Feb. 7.