Second Accused Street Racer Charged with Reckless Homicide in Fatal Crash

A 20-year-old Plainfield man who was involved in a fatal street racing incident Dec. 4 has been charged with nine counts of reckless homicide.

Jeffrey A. Bledsoe, of the 25000 block of Pastoral Drive, was initially charged with a series of traffic violations for his alleged involvement in the crash. In addition to the reckless homicide charges, he was also charged with two counts of aggravated street racing, one count of aggravated speeding and one count of reckless driving, according to Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.

Glasgow said Bledsoe’s conduct while driving caused a crash that resulted in the death of 49-year-old Charles Siebel and injured his 15-year-old daughter.

"Each count of reckless homicide alleges specific acts of reckless conduct – for example, engaging in street racing, various speeding allegations, and failing to drive in a single lane – that caused another vehicle to crash into Mr. Siebel’s Toyota Highlander," Glasgow said in a release.

Bledsoe was allegedly street racing with a 16-year-old Aurora boy on Eola Road in the Will County section of Aurora when the teen crashed his 2011 Dodge Charger into Siebel’s 2004 Toyota Highlander as Siebel was turning left onto Eola from a stop sign at Shenandoah, according to a December 2015 press release from Aurora police.

Bledsoe, who was driving a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, was just south of the other two vehicles at the time of the crash, according to Aurora police.

Both Siebel and his daughter had to be extricated from the Highlander by Aurora Fire Department Personnel, police said. Siebel was pronounced dead at around 3 a.m. Dec. 7 at Rush Copley Medical Center. His daughter was released from the hospital shortly after the crash.

The 16 year old suffered minor injuries and Bledsoe refused medical treatment.

The teen is facing one count of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated street racing. He is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on April 22. Bledsoe is scheduled to appear in court on the felony charges on March 23.

Reckless homicide carries a penalty of two to five years in prison upon conviction. Aggravated street racing carries a penalty of one to 12 years in prison.

The news of Siebel's death was felt deeply within the community. He was a man fondly remembered for his humor, warmth and wit.

New Song Community Church Pastor Jason Dali told NBC Chicago at the time of Siebel's death that he will be remembered as a generous man with a great sense of humor.

“He was a very loving husband, a very loving father,” Dali said.

Siebel worked in sales and refereed youth basketball games. He also loved music, especially the Grateful Dead, according to his obituary. In a December 2015 Chicago Tribune article, Siebel's father said his son was witty and a "smart ass like his dad."

"He read a lot. He was very intelligent. You couldn't talk to him about anything he didn't have the answer to," Charles Siebel Sr. told the Tribune.

Siebel left behind a wife, Julie, who is a teacher within Oswego School District 308, and two children, Charles and Cassidy.