$500K bond for man accused of DUI in fatal Burr Ridge crash

(BURR RIDGE) Bond was set at $500,000 Saturday for a Tinley Park man that flipped and crashed a vehicle he was driving into a restaurant Wednesday in west suburban Burr Ridge, leaving one woman dead.

Issa N. Issa, 25, was drunk and critically injured in the crash that happened about 10:45 p.m. when a 2011 four-door Mercedes left the road, rolled at least once and crashed into Eddie Merlot’s steakhouse at 201 Bridewell Dr., Burr Ridge Deputy Police Chief Marc Loftus said.

The car landed on its roof, and the 23-year-old woman in the passenger seat was ejected, police said.

Samantha J. Jacobs, of Manhattan, suffered head injuries and was taken to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where she died just after 2 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

Issa was taken to LaGrange Hospital, where he remains in the intensive care unit with a skull fracture, missing teeth and other injuries, prosecutors said.

Jacobs and Issa, who previously dated, had dinner at the restaurant before the crash, prosecutors said. Issa had five martinis and had a blood alcohol content level of .194, prosecutors said. He also tested positive for marijuana, according to prosecutors.

Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Issa held on a $500,000 bond Saturday. He is next scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Oct. 7 for a preliminary hearing.

The restaurant’s lounge was still open at that time, according to its website, but no further injuries were reported. The steakhouse did not sustain structural damage, but some bricks were knocked off the facade, Loftus said.

A building inspector has since deemed it safe to occupy, Loftus said.