West Chicago man who had cocaine in his system sentenced for fatal DUI crash

DUPAGE COUNTY - A West Chicago man was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a fatal head-on collision.

The crash, which occurred in September 2023, claimed the life of one man and seriously injured his wife.

What we know:

Jaime Damian, 22, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated DUI – accident causing death and one count of aggravated DUI – great bodily harm.

The charges stem from a head-on crash on Sept. 14, 2023, when Damian crossed a double yellow line on Roosevelt Road and collided with a 2004 Lincoln sedan driven by Jose Correa. Correa’s wife, Maria, was a passenger in the vehicle.

Both Jose and Maria were taken to a hospital, where Jose later died from his injuries. Maria suffered a broken wrist and bruises on her legs. Damian was also hospitalized following the crash.

Authorities later determined that Damian had cocaine in his system when the crash occurred.

Jaime Damian

What they're saying:

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin commented on the case.

"This afternoon, Jaime Damian learned that his decision to drive after he had been using cocaine will cost him the next ten years of his life," Berlin said. "This cost however, pales in comparison to the price that Jose Correa’s wife, family and friends must now pay with just memories of Jose to comfort them and see them through the rest of their lives. The sad truth is that this tragedy, like all driving-impaired fatalities, was 100% avoidable had Mr. Damian not gotten behind the wheel that afternoon."

What's next:

Damian will serve his sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections, where he must complete at least 85% of his term before becoming eligible for parole.