Joliet man charged with DUI in crash that critically injured motorcycle operator

A Joliet man is charged with driving drunk in a crash that critically injured a motorcycle operator, and he was ordered to remain in jail after prosecutors said he told police he wanted to go back to Mexico.

About 1 a.m. Saturday, officers responded to a crash at Woodruff Road and Charlesworth Avenue in Joliet, according to a court filing from Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Platek.

Officers learned that Jorge Martinez-Lopez, 50, was driving west on Woodruff Road in an SUV when he turned south on Charlesworth Avenue without yielding to a motorcycle operator, Platek said.

The motorcycle operator ran into Martinez-Lopez’s vehicle, Platek said.

The motorcycle operator was in critical condition when he was taken to the intensive care unit at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Platek said. He suffered a severe road rash on his body, Platek said.

Martinez-Lopez appeared disoriented and intoxicated with “red glossy eyes” and an odor of alcohol on his breath, Platek said.

Martinez-Lopez admitted to drinking alcohol on the Fourth of July, Platek said. He submitted to field sobriety tests and failed them, Platek said.

When Martinez-Lopez was taken to the police department, he had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.149% at 4:05 a.m. Saturday, Platek said.

In Illinois, the legal driving limit is a BAC of 0.08%.

“[Martinez-Lopez] repeatedly asked if he was going to be deported back to Mexico while stating it would be doing him a favor, as he does not like it here,” Platek said.

Platek said Martinez-Lopez does not have strong ties to the community, his family is from Mexico, and he said he “wants to go back to Mexico.”

Martinez-Lopez is charged with felony aggravated driving under the influence.

Will County Judge Shenonda Tisdale ordered Martinez-Lopez to remain in jail under the SAFE-T Act after finding his pretrial release posed a danger to others and he was a flight risk.