Driver charged with reckless homicide for Riverside crash

A Lyons man is accused of driving under the influence of drugs in a crash that killed his passenger last month in west suburban Riverside.

Carlos Arambula, 19, is charged with one felony count each of reckless homicide and drugged driving for the June 20 crash in the 100 block of East Burlington Street in Riverside, according to a statement from Riverside police.

Arambula was driving a 1998 Lexus at 63 mph when he lost control shortly after midnight and slammed the car into a tree, police said. Responding officers arrived to find the car “wrapped around” the tree and a second car, a 1999 Jaguar, stopped nearby.

Investigators learned Arambula was following some friends in the Jaguar when he lost control while trying to pass them, police said. Toxicology tests showed he had Xanax and cannabis in his system at the time.

Riverside police

Brandon Cerero, 20, was in the back seat of the Lexus at the time of the crash, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. He was pronounced dead at 12:44 a.m. at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

An autopsy found Cerero, who lived in Chicago, died of multiple injuries from the crash and ruled his death an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.

Arambula was arrested Wednesday at his home in Lyons, police said. In addition to the felonies, he was charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of drugs and issued traffic citations for improper lane usage, driving too fast for conditions, driving without insurance, driving while having never been issued a license and damage to village property.

Judge Stanley L. Hill ordered Arambula held without bail during a hearing Thursday at the Maywood Courthouse, according to Cook County court records. His next court date was scheduled for July 29.

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