A man convicted in a New Year’s Day 2005 drunken-driving crash in Chicago that killed a taxi driver and passenger has been charged with driving under the influence and causing a crash near McHenry.

Igors Kazakovs, 42, of Vernon Hills, is charged with felony aggravated DUI with two prior offenses, while having a previous reckless homicide conviction and a revoked driver’s license, according to information filed in McHenry County court.

Prosecutors said in court Thursday that during the morning hours of Nov. 9, Kazakovs was driving a Ford Edge that rear-ended another vehicle stopped at a red light in the area of South River and Charles J. Miller roads.

McHenry County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the scene and determined that Kazakovs rear-ended the other vehicle. They also “noticed that he had slurred speech and an odor of alcohol on his person,” according to a news release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“Kazakovs admitted to drinking earlier in the day ... and was arrested after submitting to standardized field sobriety tests,” according to the release.

Deputies said they found “several mini bottles of liquor” in his vehicle, while a breath test showed Kazakovs had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.191, prosecutors said.

After an initial court appearance Thursday, Judge Mark Gerhardt found Kazakovs to be a danger and ordered that he be detained in the county jail pretrial, a court order shows.

Kazakovs was initially charged with a misdemeanor DUI; however, after prosecutors reviewed his criminal history and learned of his past offenses the charges were increased, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Kazakovs has been convicted twice for drunken driving. In 2005 on New Year’s Day, Kazakovs, while intoxicated, hit a taxicab, killing the driver and passenger, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

At the time of the November crash, Kazakovs’ driver’s license was still revoked from the fatal incident, according to prosecutors and information in his file.

His attorney, Frank Quatrino, said that since being released from prison, Kazakovs has had no criminal offenses, has been sober, and is in counseling working to maintain his sobriety. He works a full-time job in Libertyville, to which he typically walks or has someone drive him, and he cares for his elderly mother.

This is the first offense for driving on a revoked driver’s license, and he was “prepping for a reinstatement hearing to get his driver’s license back. Then, this took place,” his attorney said.

“There may have been some personal issues that came up ... but he was definitely clean and sober, on the wagon, when this happened,” Quatrino said, adding that he plans to argue again for Kazakovs’ pretrial release so he can work and continue to care for his mother.

“State’s Attorney Randi Freese is thankful that another tragedy was avoided in the most recent accident, while noting that Kazakovs’ story demonstrates the need for aggressive prosecution of those who selfishly endanger others by driving under the influence of any intoxicating substance,” according to the release.

Kazakovs is due back in court Dec. 22.