Friday, April 26, 2013
A 19-year-old Burr Ridge college student accused of causing the death of an Orland Park man was arraigned in court Thursday.
A 19-year-old Burr Ridge man facing felony charges after authorities said he was responsible for a serious vehicle accident that caused a man’s death, pleaded not guilty in court Thursday. Nicholas Puccinelli made his plea while he was arraigned in front of Judge John Hynes in his Bridgeview courtroom. On March 12, Puccinelli was heading south on LaGrange Road near 105th Street in Palos Township, when he drove his 2002 GMC Denali into the northbound lane and crashed into a 2002 Nissan Sentra around 3 a.m., police said. Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Amari Dawson said the impact sent the Sentra through a guard rail. John Anagnopoulos, 64, of Orland Park, was driving the Sentra and died from injuries sustained in the wreck. …
Friday, February 1, 2013
A Cook County judge agreed with the defense during a hearing Friday that the reckless homicide case against Nicholas Sord, 25, is getting "very, very old" as another status date passed with no progress and he wants to move toward a resolution.
All eyes are now on the prosecution to move forward in the case against an Orland Park man charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in connection to a fatal crash near Oak Forest that killed a 20-year-old New Lenox woman in 2010. Nicholas Sord, 25, has been charged with reckless homicide in the incident that led to Jessica Mejia's death, and is out on bond. He was offered a plea deal, which was subsequently turned down. Police said Sord was close to three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit on New Year's Eve 2009 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue. The defense has said Mejia caused the accident. For the past two court hearings, prosecutor Nicholas D'Angelo has been set to submit motions in…
Saturday, January 12, 2013
It's been three years since an Orland Park man was charged with reckless homicide in a DUI accident that killed Jessica Mejia, a 20-year-old New Lenox woman.
Another New Year's Day has come and gone, marking three years since the death of 20-year-old Jessica Mejia in a DUI-related car accident. Nicholas Sord, 25, has been charged with reckless homicide in the incident and is out on bond. He was offered a plea deal, which was subsequently turned down. A hearing on Jan. 11 was supposed to include arguments on motions about evidence in the case, but a new date in February was chosen instead. Sord didn't speak during the brief hearing. His attorney Jeff Aprati said the prosecution will be filing the motions but wasn't able to elaborate on what they may include. Police said Sord was close to three times over the blood-alcohol limit on New Year’s Day 2010 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
A defense attorney for Nicholas Sord, an Orland Park man charged with reckless homicide in a DUI accident that killed a New Lenox woman, said he will continue with his defense for now.
Christina Mejia had hoped a court hearing Thursday would signal the end of a case that has gone on for more than two years, where an Orland Park man is accused of reckless homicide in the DUI-related crash that killed her daughter. But that wasn't to be. Instead, Nicholas Sord, 24, has opted not take a plea agreement offered in August -- the details of which have not been made public -- at least for now. Sord is currently out on bond and appeared in Judge Frank Zelezinski's Markham courtoom Thursday wearing a dark blue suit. "He didn't take the deal," said Christina Mejia after the hearing. Other family members and friends couldn't hide their disappointment as they hugged each other. Police say Sord was close to three times over the blood…
Friday, August 17, 2012
Nicholas Sord, 24, of Orland Park, is charged with reckless homicide in a DUI accident that killed a New Lenox woman. Lawyers went into a conference with prosecutors and a Cook County judge Thursday.
A plea agreement could be in the works for Orland Park resident Nicholas Sord, who was charged with reckless homicide in a DUI accident on New Year's Eve more than two years ago. Sord, 24, was close to three times over the blood-alcohol limit on New Year’s Day 2010 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue, killing 20-year-old Jessica Mejia of New Lenox, according to police. At a hearing Thursday, Aug. 16, attorneys for Sord asked Judge Frank Zelezinski for a "402 conference," which is listed by the Cook County Guide to the Criminal Justice System as a plea bargaining tool. In such conferences, the judge hears information about the case that he may not normally hear at trial, including information about the …
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Cook County judge denies a request from the attorney of Matthew Senica, who has been indicted for aggravated DUI and reckless homicide, to return personal property found in the vehicle until the investigation is complete.
An insurance company can assess the damage to a vehicle involved in the DUI accident that claimed the life of a nurse on her way to work, but the return of personal belongings of the Orland Park man charged with reckless homicide in connection with the crash will have to wait, a Cook County judge said Tuesday morning. Matthew Senica, 25, of the 13700 Block of 88th Ave. was also indicted Tuesday on 14 counts of aggravated DUI and one count of reckless homicide in Judge Peter Felice's Bridgeview courtroom. He remains in custody after his bail was set at $1 million. Authorities say on July 8, Senica was driving back to Orland Park from what Senica told police was a night of drinking in Chicago. He was heading south on LaGrange Road, and …
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Reckless homicide investigation stalled in Cook County.
- POLICE & FIRE
- Jesse Marx
-
Saturday, February 18, 2012
The Southland's major criminal and civil cases heard in Cook County and Will County courts this week. OAK FOREST — Pretrial hearings for Norberto Rodriguez were continued to March 14 as attorneys continue their separate investigations. A former Chicago cop, Rodriguez was charged in late 2010 in the murder of his estranged wife, Irma. His rap sheet includes attempted murder of the same woman and a federal conviction of drug trafficking. ORLAND PARK — Reckless Homicide Investigation Waiting on DNA Analysis Prosecutors to send blood and hair samples to state crime lab. Defense hoping to reconstruct crime scene to their advantage. FRANKFORT — Man Accused of Trying to Buy Sex With Minors Pleads Not Guilty Brandon Bergthold, of Frankfort …
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Prosecutors to send blood and hair samples to state crime lab. Defense hoping to reconstruct crime scene to their advantage.
- POLICE & FIRE
- Jesse Marx
-
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A delay in the reckless homicide case against Nicholas Sord now depends on forensic scientists at the Illinois Crime Lab. Sord was close to three times over the blood-alcohol limit on New Year’s Day 2010 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue, killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Jessica Mejia, of New Lenox, according to police. More than two years later, prosecutors plan to send the hair and blood samples collected from inside the rolled-over car following the crash for analysis. Sord’s attorney, Jeff Aprati, is planning to use the evidence—and its location inside the car—to argue that Mejia caused the crash. On Thursday, he dismissed rumors that imply Sord and Mejia were “explicitly sexual” during the crash…
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Nicholas Sord's defense attorney will soon ask a judge for time to independently review DNA samples to provide his side of the crash that killed Jessica Mejia.
Cook County prosecutors withdrew a claim on Tuesday that Nicholas Sord of Orland Park violated the terms of his bond, showing evidence instead that the reckless homicide defendant had a prescription for painkillers at the time of recent drug tests. The opiates he recently tested positive for were prescribed by a doctor in November and December following hand surgeries involving pins to mend broken bones, said his attorney, Jeff Aprati. Bryan Sord said his son fell on his left hand while exercising at Swallow Cliff in Palos Park. Police said Sord was close to three times over the blood-alcohol limit on New Year’s Day 2010 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue, killing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Jessica Mejia…
Ace
10:02 am on Saturday, April 27, 2013
I was being facetious. It's the 'gun' argument applied. more ›