Round Lake Beach receives 10-year sentence for fatal car crash in 2020

A Round Lake Beach man who fled from police at high speed and crashed his SUV, killing two passengers, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday.

A Lake County jury found Jose S. Aguirre, 30, guilty in June of aggravated drunken driving in connection with the 2020 traffic crash that killed Juan Renteria-Becerra, 34, of Mundelein, and Edgar Herrera, 30, of Round Lake Beach.

Authorities said Aguirre was driving at a high rate of speed around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 27, 2020, and police attempted to stop him. However, Aguirre sped away at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, authorities said.

For safety reasons, police decided not to pursue the SUV. A few minutes later, police encountered the vehicle, which had rolled over after crashing in a wooded area near Illinois Route 134 and West Main Street. The Chevrolet Traverse was traveling 110 mph (177 km/h) in the moments before the crash, prosecutors said.

The two passengers were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. According to the authorities, a third passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

At his trial, Aguirre testified that he was not driving the SUV. However, the jury found him guilty after several hours of deliberation.

Judge Christopher Lombardo sentenced Aguirre on Friday. Prosecutors demanded an 18-year prison sentence.

“While we are disappointed that the sentence was not more severe, this prison sentence sends the right message that dangerous drivers in Lake County will be held accountable,” District Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a media statement. “And we continue to grieve with the victims over this horrific crime. We will support them and continue our work with our community partners such as schools, the health department and the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists to raise awareness and save lives.”

Aguirre will receive 611 days credit for the time he spent in county jail awaiting trial and subsequent sentencing.

Originally published: August 23, 2024 at 18:43