A Montgomery man’s blood alcohol level was nearly five times the legal driving limit when he struck and injured two bicyclists in October, according to Kane County Court records.
According to Kane County deputies, James Randich, 43, 2200 block of Margaret Drive, was driving eastbound on Jericho Road near Johnston Drive in Aurora Township on Oct. 26 around 9:34 p.m. when his vehicle struck the victims, who were riding their bicycles westbound.
The victims, ages 18 and 19, were both injured.
One victim suffered from cuts and a possible broken wrist. The other victim had his right femur bone shattered in five places, and sustained other injuries to his left leg, both arms and ribs, court records indicated.
The victims said that just prior to the crash it appeared as if Randich was veering straight toward them while accelerating, according to an affidavit filed for a search warrant in the case.
Deputies said Randich drove away from the scene, and eventually went off the road near Jericho Road and Barnes Road and stopped in a field.
A witness who stopped to help Randich in his crashed vehicle said he found Randich in the driver’s seat when he arrived, deputies said.
Randich allegedly told the witness that he needed to leave, and that he had been drinking.
Deputies said that when they arrived Randich told them he hadn’t been driving, even though he was witnessed in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. He appeared to be so intoxicated that he was slurring his speech, and could not properly get out of his car, deputies wrote.
According to court records, Randich’s blood alcohol concentration was recorded as .379, nearly five times the legal limit to be driving.
Randich was charged with felony aggravated drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.