Police: Drunken woman caused deadly car crash in Will County

A 34-year-old woman was charged with driving drunk and causing a car crash that killed a man after he was pinned under his own vehicle, officials said.

Marisela Mendoza, of the first block of North Branch Road in Northfield, was charged with with aggravated DUI resulting in a death, DUI, running a stop sign and failure to reduce speed.

On Sept. 22, Mendoza ran a stop sign near Yates and Offner roads in Washington Township, struck a GMC Yukon and caused it to spin around and pin 36-year-old Juan Barroso-Aviles underneath it, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.

The car belonged to Barroso-Aviles, Hoffmeyer said.

Barroso-Aviles was reportedly sitting on the roadway next to his car and waiting for police to arrive after he failed to stop at a stop sign, went onto the shoulder of the road and struck a tree, Hoffmeyer said.

Barroso-Aviles was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:10 a.m. Sept. 23, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary autopsy results show he died from injuries from a motor vehicle accident, according to the coroner’s office.

Mendoza was given field sobriety tests at the scene, Hoffmeyer said. A DUI report filed in court said a deputy observed that Mendoza’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy and her breath smelled of alcohol.

The report said Mendoza told a deputy she drank three beers. The sobriety test indicated she was impaired, police said.