A Woodridge man has been sentenced to a ten-year prison term in the Illinois Department of Corrections following a fatal DUI crash that claimed the life of a cyclist. According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, 35-year-old Salil Chander pleaded guilty but mentally ill to aggravated DUI resulting in death.
The incident, which transpired on August 6, 2023, ended in tragedy when Chander struck sixty-four-year-old Michael Norton. The fatal encounter took place after Chander, driving under the influence, veered into the oncoming lane on Green Trails Drive in Woodridge. With a blood-alcohol content of 0.222, nearly three times the legal limit, Chander was taken into custody after police located him near the scene. State's Attorney Robert Berlin was quoted as saying, "With a BAC of nearly three times the legal limit, Mr. Chander had no business behind the wheel of a car," as per the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
This case hits particularly close to home, reflecting on the grievous outcomes that come from such reckless decisions. Chander initially faced a bond of $1 million following his arrest and was later granted pre-trial release in October 2024 after a pre-trial detention hearing, as per the Pre-Trial Fairness Act.
The sentencing, handed down by Judge Joseph Bugos, requires Chander to serve 85% of his sentence before eligible for parole. "The tragic death of an innocent person was completely avoidable had Mr. Chander simply not operated a vehicle after he had been drinking," Berlin said, as stated by the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Furthermore, he acknowledged the work of Assistant State's Attorneys Matthew Dambach, Eric Vincent, and Anna Derkacz for their efforts in preparing what he termed a solid case.
