Woman killed sheriff’s deputy in DUI, tried to flee hospital while nude: charges

Bail was set at $50,000 for a 21-year-old Markham woman accused of driving head-on into a vehicle driven by a Cook County sheriff’s deputy — killing him — while she was drunk Monday on the Far South Side.

Monzerat Perez is charged with aggravated driving under the influence leading to death and reckless homicide in connection with the death of 39-year-old deputy Nick Theofanopoulos, Cook County prosecutors said in court.

A witness told police that before the crash, Perez consumed multiple alcoholic drinks. She drove away from the witness’ office in her Jeep without the headlights on, prosecutors said.

As she headed south on Kedzie Avenue, she blew through a red light at 99th Street and shortly after crossed the center line into oncoming traffic, prosecutors said. Perez continued to drive in the wrong lane before slamming head-on into Theofanopoulous’ vehicle as he drove north in the 10300 block of South Kedzie, prosecutors said.

Theofanopoulos, a 15-year-veteran of the sheriff’s department, was on his way to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn to relieve a fellow deputy at the time of the crash, sheriff’s spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said.

Theofanopoulos, of Oak Lawn, was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to Christ Medical Center, but died shortly after 9:30 p.m. of his injuries, authorities said. His death was ruled an accident by the Cook County medical examiner’s office following an autopsy Tuesday.

Perez was also taken to Christ Medical Center, where a blood draw determined she had a blood-alcohol content of 0.265, more than three times the legal limit, prosecutors said.

Perez also faces an escape charge after she allegedly tried to leave her hospital room twice while in custody, authorities said.

Perez was stopped by officers guarding her door both times, prosecutors said. She was handcuffed following her first attempt, but managed to slip off the cuff and tried to leave again while naked, prosecutors said.

Her attorney, Anthony Burch, said Perez is on track to earn an associate’s degree, is a lifelong resident of Chicago and had represented the United States in sports tournaments held in Mexico and Canada while in high school. She was working at Bed Bath and Beyond before the crash, he said.

Burch told Judge Mary Marubio that Perez’s family could afford to post bond if bail was set at $50,000, which Marubio approved over the objection of prosecutors.

Assistant State’s Attorney Guy Lisuzzo argued Perez could face a maximum sentence of 26 years in prison if convicted of the charges and noted she had tried to leave the hospital room while in custody.

Marubio said cited the presence of Perez’s family in court, the hiring a private attorney and Perez’s bail as sufficient conditions for release in her case.

Perez will also be released onto electronic monitoring supervised by the Pretrial Services Division of the court, as opposed to supervision by the sheriff’s office, which Marubio said she believed would be inappropriate because Theofanopoulos was a deputy.

Her next court date is set for Feb. 11.