Man gets 7 years for fatal Naperville DUI crash

A man was sentenced to 7 years in prison for a fatal 2016 crash in west suburban Naperville.

Michael W. Vera, 36, of Aurora, pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated DUI in a crash that killed his passenger, David Dokken, who was 37 at the time, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office said in a statement.

On Nov. 23, 2016, Vera drove a 1997 Ford Explorer off the road at Naper Boulevard south of Ogden Avenue at 2:36 a.m. and struck a tree, according to Naperville police.

Vera and Dokken were taken to Edward Hospital in Naperville, police said.

Tests showed Vera’s blood-alcohol content to be .183, the state’s attorney’s office said. He also had cocaine and marijuana in his system.

Vera was arrested the next year on unrelated charges in Kane County, and was transferred to DuPage County Jail, where he has remained since, the state’s attorney’s office said.

“This very sad case is yet another example of the potentially fatal dangers of drinking and driving,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin said in a statement.

Vera must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole, the state’s attorney’s office said.