Woman arrested on DUI charge in connection with fatal crash

A motorcycle operator died in Mokena after he was struck by a Toyota Corolla on the Fourth of July, police said.

About 10:20 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a report of a crash on Wolf Road, south of the intersection of 195th Street, Mokena police said in a news release.

When officers arrived, the initial investigation of the crash indicated that Alexander Brongel, 50, of the 17700 block of 64th Court in Tinley Park was driving a 2019 Yamaha motorcycle when he was struck by a 2013 Corolla, police said.

The Toyota was driven by Jansen Ardiente, 27, of the 8000 block of Braeburn Lane in Orland Park, police said.

“The investigation into the crash indicated that Ms. Ardiente had apparently rear-ended Mr. Brongel’s motorcycle while they were both traveling northbound Wolf Road in the 19500 block,” police said.

Paramedics with the Mokena Fire Protection District took Brongel to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, police said. He suffered head injuries as a result of the crash, police said. About 10:51 p.m. the same day, hospital staff pronounced Brongel with the cause of death “apparently being multiple skull fractures and associated trauma,” police said.

“The trash crash is currently being investigated and reconstructed by the Lincoln-Way Major Crash Investigation Unit,” police said.

Brongel’s autopsy was scheduled for Monday, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office.

Ardiente was arrested after the crash on a charge of aggravated driving under the influence, police said. She was taken to the Will County jail, where she was being held on a $200,000 bond, jail records show.

She is scheduled for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Will County Courthouse.