WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joseph E. Birkett announced today that Rodiver Cortes, 25 (d.o.b. 10/26/1981) of 29 Byron Street, Addison was sentenced to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in connection to a drunk driving crash that claimed the lives of two of his friends.  On July 10, 2007 Cortes entered a plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated DUI in front of Judge Kathryn Creswell.

On October 8, 2006, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Elmhurst Police responded to a call of a traffic accident on North Avenue and Walnut Street.  Once at the scene, officers observed a 1989 Chevy Camaro crashed against a brick retaining wall on the north side of North Avenue just west of Walnut.  An investigation into the crash revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Cortes, was traveling at approximately 60 mph at the time of the crash.  Cortes survived the crash with minor injuries, his passengers, however, Miguel Berrios-Hurtado and Carlos Berrios both of Hoffman Estates were killed as a result of the crash.

“Driving is a privilege, not a right,” commented Birkett.  “Every year thousands of lives are lost because people abuse that privilege.  Driving after you have been drinking can be not only extremely dangerous, it can be, as we saw in this case, sometimes fatal.   These fatalities are avoidable.  The motoring public has got to learn – don’t drink and drive.  Have a designated driver or call a cab or a friend for a ride home.  You’ll be glad you did when you wake up the next morning safe at home instead of in jail or worse, not waking up at all.”

Cortes, who will be required to serve 85% of his sentence, will receive credit for time served in the DuPage County Jail since his arrest on October 8, 2006.

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