Drunk Driver Involved In Two Accidents, Injures Two: Cops

LOCKPORT, IL — A Washington man has been charged with aggravated DUI he was involved in two traffic accidents in Lockport, including one where a Joliet teacher was severely injured, Lockport Police said. Andrii Khokhliuk, 30, of Kirkland, Washington, was charged with aggravated DUI (combined alcohol and drugs), obstructing justice, obstructing identification, driving with a suspended license, operating an uninsured vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and reckless driving.

Police first received a call for a hit and run accident at 12:56 p.m. Jan. 3 at Ninth and State streets, where a black Dodge Charger had fled the scene. According to police, officers were responding to this accident when they received a second call for a head-on accident with injuries at Ninth Street and Summit Drive. The second accident involved the same Dodge Charger that had fled the scene of the first accident.

At Ninth Street and Summit Driver, police said officers found two cars involved in a head-on crash and a third car which had been damaged on its rear bumper.

Investigation revealed the Dodge Charger, which was being driven by Khokhliuk was traveling eastbound on Ninth at a high rate of speed before it struck a car waiting to turn left in the rear end, police said.

After hitting the first car, police said Khokhliuk entered the oncoming lane of traffic and hit a second car head-on. A GoFundMe has been created for the driver of the second car, who broke her neck in the accident. Her 18-year-old daughter was also in the car, and they were both taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the first vehicle which was rear ended was not injured, police said.

Khokhliuk was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Police said officers located open alcohol containers and a substance suspected to be cannabis inside Khokhliuk’s car.

After his release from the hospital, Khokhliuk was arrested and taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility to await a bond hearing. As of Tuesday, he had not been released.