Crime & Safety
Drug-Binging St. Charles Man's Fatal Crash Lands Him in Prison
"His selfish decision to take heroin, cocaine and other illegal drugs and then drive had violent and deadly results," prosecutors said.
A St. Charles man was sentenced to 11 years in prison for driving under the influence of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, Valium and Xanax and causing a Thanksgiving weekend crash that killed a local woman.
Joshua E. Spudich, 24, with the last known address in the 400 block of South Second Street in St. Charles, agreed to a plea deal and entered a guilty plea to one count aggravated DUI (heroin) causing death on Wednesday in Kane County Court.
Spudich was driving his 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe south on North Second Street near Timbers Trail in St. Charles when he crossed the center line and crashed head-on with a 2004 Toyota Corolla around 2 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2014, prosecutors said. The driver of the Corolla, Susan Gorecki, 65, of St. Charles, was killed in the crash.
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Spudich told police he ingested heroin at a friend’s house shortly before the crash, according to a Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office press release.
An analysis of Spudich’s urine sample, which was taken shortly after the crash, revealed the presence of heroin, marijuana, cocaine, diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax), according to the news release. Spudich’s license was revoked at the time of the crash. Spudich has past convictions for battery, DUI and theft, prosecutors said.
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According to Illinois law, Spudich must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He was given credit for at least 306 days served in the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of $1 million bail.
“As most people were celebrating the long Thanksgiving weekend with loved ones, Mr. Spudich chose to observe the holiday with a cocktail of dangerous narcotics. His selfish decision to take heroin, cocaine and other illegal drugs and then drive – criminal acts by themselves – had violent and deadly results. He caused immense pain to many, taking the life of a wife, mother, grandmother and sister, robbing multiple generations of her wisdom and love at a time when they were preparing for the Christmas season,” said Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon. “I hope Susan’s family members feel that they have received justice with this sentence.”
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