Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   Election   •   The Scene   •   175 Years
Crime & Courts

Lake in the Hills man gets prison in connection with fatal DUI crash

Motorcyclist’s driver’s license previously revoked, prosecutor says

A 42-year-old man was sentenced to prison Monday in connection with the death of a Crystal Lake motorcyclist, who was killed in a 2016 multi-vehicle crash.

Hector Chavera, 42, of Lake in the Hills, was taken away in handcuffs Monday after pleading guilty to aggravated driving under the influence. Chavera was sentenced to three years in prison after drunkenly driving on a revoked license during a crash that killed 35-year-old Alex Misurelli.

McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather accepted the plea deal, and additional charges stemming from the Oct. 15, 2016, crash were dismissed.

Misurelli, Chavera and another man, Erik Escutia, had been driving separate motorcycles on Route 31 north of Route 62 in Algonquin when the crash occurred.

Each of the men crossed the raised center median and entered oncoming traffic, police said at the time.

Misurelli died after being struck by a Honda Accord driven by a then-25-year-old man from Palatine.

Chavera, Escutia and the driver of the Honda were each treated at hospitals and released.

Both Chavera and Escutia were accused of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Chavera’s license had been revoked for a previous DUI conviction, prosecutors said.

Escutia, of Woodstock, pleaded guilty in November to driving under the influence of alcohol – a misdemeanor charge – and was sentenced to one year of court supervision.

Katie Smith

Katie Smith

Katie reported on the crime and courts beat for the Northwest Herald from 2017 through 2021. She began her career with Shaw Media in 2015 at the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb, where she reported on the courts, city council, the local school board, and business.