Chicago man charged with DUI for crash that killed motorcyclist

A Chicago man is facing felony charges after prosecutors said he was driving under the influence of alcohol, narcotics and marijuana when he caused a crash that killed a motorcyclist on I-55 earlier this month.

Fawzi Ottman, 44, of the 4900 block of West Potomac, was charged Wednesday with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol causing death for the crash that killed Daniel J. Dacanay of Chicago, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

“On April 17th, Daniel Dacanay’s life came to a violent end when he passed away from injuries he sustained allegedly at the hands of a driver impaired by drugs,” state’s attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

About 5 p.m. that day, Illinois State Police responded to a collision on I-55 just south of County Line Road in Burr Ridge involving a motorcycle and two vehicles.

ISP reported that a Chevrolet was driving on the right shoulder as a Harley-Davidson bike and a Hummer were merging onto the interstate. The Chevrolet veered into the merge lane and struck the motorcycle, sending it crashing into the rear of the Hummer.

Police found Dacanay “unconscious and pinned underneath the engine block of the defendant’s vehicle,” a statement from prosecutors said. Both men were taken to a hospital where Dacanay died.

Prosecutors said Ottman was driving erratically when his vehicle swerved and struck the bike. “It is further alleged that after striking Dacanay, Ottman continued to drive approximately 194 feet, dragging Dacanay for at least a period of this time, before coming to a stop,” prosecutors said.

Ottman was found to have “illegal drugs in his system at the time of the crash, including opiates and cannabis,” prosecutors said.

Ottman, ordered held on a $750,000 bond, remains in the hospital under guard, and is next scheduled to appear in court May 18 in Wheaton.

“Driving is a privilege that if abused can lead to irreversible consequences, as alleged in this case,” Berlin said. “I urge everyone to please be responsible and if you are at all impaired, do not get behind the wheel. Call a cab or call a friend . . . You’ll be glad you did when you wake up the next morning safely at home and not in jail, the hospital or worse, not waking up at all,” Berlin said.