Dupage Policy Journal

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has denied the State's request to detain James Vaughn, a West Chicago resident accused of fatally striking a pedestrian with his vehicle. Vaughn, aged 43, appeared in court facing two counts of Aggravated DUI Causing Death.

The incident occurred on April 15, 2024, at around 2:36 a.m., when officers responded to a crash involving a pedestrian at Roosevelt Road and Pearl Road. The victim, Miguel Duran, aged 36, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Investigations suggest Vaughn hit Duran while driving westbound on Roosevelt Road in his Jeep Liberty. Officers reported detecting alcohol on Vaughn and noted his blood alcohol concentration was allegedly 0.11 at the time of the crash.

State’s Attorney Berlin expressed condolences to Duran's family and emphasized the avoidable nature of such incidents. He urged individuals not to drive after drinking and thanked various departments for their efforts in this case.

Chief Fleury highlighted the tragedy as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate impaired driving in West Chicago. He acknowledged the work done by investigative teams and legal authorities involved in handling the case.

Vaughn is scheduled for arraignment on May 13, 2024, before Judge Margaret O’Connell. Authorities remind the public that charges are not evidence of guilt; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.