March 29, 2024
McHenry County | Northwest Herald


McHenry County

Additional charges filed against Marengo man accused in 2018 fatal DUI crash

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A 28-year-old Marengo man charged in connection with a fatal 2018 hit-and-run now faces additional charges, which allege he was in possession of tramadol, oxycodone and codeine at the time of the crash.

Brett Herold made a brief court appearance Wednesday morning when McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge formally read aloud the charges.

Herold, who is free on bond, was initially charged Sept. 22, 2018, with leaving the scene of a fatal crash that killed 29-year-old Yajayra Huerta. The crash happened at 10:20 p.m. in the 22200 block of River Road in Marengo. Herold is accused of crashing his 2011 Toyota Camry into the back of Huerta's go-kart and then fleeing the scene.

On Nov. 19, a McHenry County grand jury approved additional charges against Herold, alleging he was in possession of tramadol, oxycodone and codeine the night of the crash, records show.

McHenry County prosecutors additionally charged Herold in January 2019 with aggravated driving under the influence. Blood test results from a sample that police had collected the day of the crash showed Herold had a 0.146 blood-alcohol content, court records show. He also tested positive for THC metabolites, the anesthetic ketamine, and the narcotic pain reliever tramadol, according to charging documents.

It was not immediately clear why the most recent charges were filed more than two years after the crash.

Herold's case was continued to Jan. 7 for a status hearing.

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.