Fatal Elgin Crash Teen Driver Charged

ELGIN—The driver has been charged in connection with a Saturday crash that left his passenger dead when their car crashed into a northwest suburban Elgin home.

Daniel Chagala-Villasca, 18, of Elgin, was charged with one count of reckless homicide, four counts of aggravated DUI, not having a valid driver’s license, not having valid insurance, improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, according to Elgin police.

Chagala-Villasca was driving a 1993 Nissan Altima west on Chicago Street when the car left the road and struck a residence at 636 E. Chicago St about 1:25 a.m., Elgin police said. The car eventually came to rest at 622 E. Chicago St.

Chagala-Villasca and 26-year-old passenger Marcelo Martinez-Ayala, of Carpentersville, were both taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, where Martinez-Ayala was pronounced dead, police said.

Chagala-Villasca was released from the hospital Sunday and was taken to the Elgin Police Department, where he is held pending a bond hearing.

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