Rock Falls man to remain jailed while Dixon DUI case proceeds, court rules

DIXON – A Rock Falls man accused of injuring five others in a four-vehicle drunken crash Tuesday evening while running from Dixon police was ordered Thursday to be held in Lee County jail as his case proceeds.

Ryan L. Charleston, 40, also was appointed a public defender. He has a preliminary hearing Dec. 20.

Charleston is charged with three counts of aggravated DUI, three counts of aggravated fleeing, driving while his license is revoked and aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm, all felonies, and two counts of speeding more than 35 mph over the posted limit.

One of the DUI charges is punishable by three to seven years in prison; each of the other seven carry sentences of one to three years.

According to police, officers tried to stop Charleston after receiving a 911 call about 4:37 p.m. reporting an erratic driver coming into Dixon on state Route 2 from Grand Detour.

He was north in the 1300 block of North Galena Avenue, turned onto Liberty Court and drove off the pavement and around the south side of Freedom Walk apartments, when an officer activated his emergency lights.

Charleston did not stop, but instead got back on to Galena heading south, sped into the northbound lanes in the 1300 block, then collided with a vehicle turning south onto Galena from North Court. Two other vehicles were struck as a result of that collision, police said

He and five other people were treated at KSB Hospital for serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Charleston also has a pending case in Whiteside County, where he was charged Oct. 25, 2022, with driving on a revoked license and misdemeanor fleeing Sept. 4, 2022. He has not appeared in that case.