Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jan 2013
Source: Pekin Daily Times, The (IL)
Copyright: 2013 Pekin Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.pekintimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2290
Author: Michael Smothers, Pekin Daily Times reporter

OFFICIALS CITE MARIJUANA IN FATAL ACCIDENTS

Prosecutors say marijuana, and in one case its synthetic form as well,
impaired two drivers whose unrelated accidents killed two passengers
last fall.

With charges filed recently in those cases, three men now stand
accused in Tazewell County of causing death by driving under the
influence of drugs or alcohol.

One case likely marks the first time in the county that synthetic
marijuana, or so-called K2, has been cited as a contributing cause in
a fatal crash.

Details emerged in that case from a coroner's inquest Thursday into
the death of Brandon Haley, 19, of Pekin. He died instantly last Oct.
21 when Brock Meerseman drove off Hickory Grove Road and struck a
utility pole guy-wire after failing to heed two signs warning the
road's end was ahead.

Meerseman, 20, of 203 Harriet St., was charged two weeks ago with
aggravated DUI causing death. He had smoked both marijuana and a
synthetic copy of it days before the crash, he told police, who also
found a supply of the copycat drug and a pipe at the crash scene.

Marijuana's chemicals also were found in blood tests taken after
Daniel Minor, 34, drove his car off the road near Mackinaw on Dec.
11.

In that accident, passenger William Delius, 41, of Bloomington, was
ejected when the car rolled and died at the scene.

Minor, of Leroy, said he swerved at a curve in Mackinaw Road to avoid
an animal and lost control. While no marijuana was found at the crash,
Minor said he smoked four to five times a week, "if not daily,"
according to court charges.

Minor was charged Tuesday with aggravated DUI causing death and
driving with a suspended license.

He and Meerseman, who were not injured in their crashes, now join
Joseph Owens, 21, of Niles, as defendants accused of killing their
vehicles' passengers by impaired driving. Owens allegedly was driving
drunk.

An inquest Thursday revealed that Mario Reyes Lopez, 23, of Elgin,
died when he was ejected from Owens' car and landed underneath it as
it rolled off Farmdale Road east of East Peoria at about 4 a.m. last
Sept. 21. Reyes, three other passengers and Owens were driving from a
party at a home about a mile away, police said.

While none of the occupants wore seat belts, only Reyes Lopez
sustained significant injuries.

Autopsy results released at the inquests also showed Reyes Lopez and
Haley had no alcohol or drugs in their systems when they died.

Owens is next due in court Feb. 8 on his aggravated DUI charge. Like
those against Minor and Meerseman, it carries a potential prison term
of three to seven years.

Meerseman will appear in court on his charge on Feb. 5. A court date
has not yet been set in Minor's case. 
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