Tinley Park Man Accused of Being Drunk In Crash That Killed Woman

TINLEY PARK, IL -- An elderly woman’s last words to her son before she was killed were “speed up” to avoid being hit by another car that was barreling toward them as they waited to make a left turn at Tinley Park intersection, prosecutors said. Timothy McGuire, 37, appeared before Cook County Judge Michael Kane on a charge of aggravated DUI causing death.

McGuire is also charged with driving without insurance. The prosecutor said this was the third time McGuire has been charged with driving under the influence.

Around 9:50 p.m. Sunday, the prosecutor said 79-year-old Armida Reyes was riding in a car that was being driven by her son southbound down 80th Avenue in Tinley Park. While her son’s car was waiting to make a left turn on 167th Street, McGuire’s vehicle was heading northbound on 80th Avenue. Sensing they were in danger of being hit, Reyes told her son, “speed up, speed up” before McGuire’s car plowed into theirs, the prosecutor said.

Reyes’ son, a nurse, saw that his mother was catastrophically injured. Before tending to her injuries and with McGuire’s still vehicle impaled on his car, the son asked asked McGuire if he was all right, the prosecutor said. The son also asked McGuire whether he saw him in the intersection. McGuire allegedly admitted that he had and said he was sorry. According to police, McGuire’s breath smelled of alcohol and he admitted to having just purchased some in Chicago.

The son tended to his mother, but could not find a pulse. Reyes was pronounced dead at the scene, suffering internal injuries and a broken neck, the prosecutor said. Two others riding in Reyes’ vehicle and McGuire were taken to the Franciscan Hospital in Olympia Fields where they were treated and released. While at the hospital, the McGuire purportedly became “belligerent” and had to be restrained. A blood draw taken at the hospital indicated that McGuire had a BAC reading of .336 as well as THC in his sample, the prosecutor said.

McGuire’s attorney said his client was one of 12 children and had deep ties to the community so he wasn’t a flight risk. The attorney also said McGuire is gainfully employed as a stationary engineer and owns a home in Tinley Park where he now lives. Several of his family members were in court. The attorney said the family could put up $10,000 for bond.

“I would inquire if [the blood draw] was serum or whole blood,” the attorney said.

“I don’t think that would have made much of a difference,” Kane replied.

The prosecutor said McGuire has two prior convictions for driving under the influence and a battery. He asked if released on bond, that McGuire be fitted with an alcohol monitoring device.

Bail was set at $175,000. In addition to the alcohol monitoring device, the judge also ordered bi-weekly reporting to pretrial services. McGuire is due back in court April 4 in Bridgeview. If convicted, McGuire faces a prison sentence of 3 to 14 years.

“I promise you if you make bond and [pretrial monitoring] report to me that you’re drinking alcohol, you will not be able to make the next bond,” the judge said. “And no driving.”