Illinois man sentenced in cannabis DUI crash that killed 4-year-old girl

KANE COUNTY, Ill. - A DeKalb man was sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison for a cannabis DUI crash that killed a 4-year-old girl and seriously injured her mother in Kane County.

Deadly DUI crash

The backstory:

The crash happened on Oct. 1, 2022, when Edgar Barrios was driving a Chrysler 200 eastbound on Route 38 on his way to a cannabis dispensary in St. Charles.

He was driving around 78 mph when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a Jeep Compass in the westbound lane, causing it to go into a ditch and catch fire near Francis Road.

A 4-year-old girl who was in a car seat in the Jeep was taken to Delnor Hospital and then flown to Lurie Children's Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Her mother suffered serious injuries in the crash and was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital. 

Barrios struck into a second vehicle that was behind the Jeep after this crash.

Laboratory testing collected from blood and urine samples showed a level of 6.6 nanograms per milliliter of Delta-9 THC in his blood.

Last November, Barrios ped guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of cannabis causing death and aggravated driving under the influence of cannabis causing great bodily harm. 

On Thursday, Barrios was sentenced to 12 and a half years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

What they're saying:

Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney David Belshan said he hopes Barrios' sentencing will prevent others from driving while intoxicated.

"Edgar Barrios used bad judgment and made a selfish decision to get into a car and drive while he was under the influence of cannabis," assistant state’s attorney David Belshan said in a statement. "He blatantly disregarded the law and the safety of others. That decision cost a four-year-old girl her life and caused serious injuries to her mother."

What's next:

Barrios must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He will receive credit for 829 days served in the Kane County jail.