Man charged with DUI following fatal head-on crash in Will County

SHARE Man charged with DUI following fatal head-on crash in Will County
A man died days after crashing Jan. 19, 2021, on I-55.

Sun-Times file photo

Sun-Times file photo

A man has been charged with driving under the influence after he allegedly crashed head-on into a pickup truck Tuesday night in an unincorporated area of Will County and killed its teenage driver.

About 8:30 p.m., John Parchem, 49, was headed south on the Dixie Highway north of County Line Road in a 2012 Ford Expedition when he crossed over into the opposite lane and struck a northbound 1998 Nissan pickup head-on, according to Illinois State Police.

The driver of the Nissan, identified as 17-year-old Daniel Gradilla of Chicago, was ejected from his vehicle and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to state police.

Parchem, of Grant Park, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and later charged with aggravated DUI, state police said. Additional charges against Parchem were still pending Wednesday afternoon.

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