Crash into Tree Sends Debris Flying 50 Feet: Blotter

A Mokena man was accused of driving his SUV into a tree, sending debris flying 50 feet away from the scene, according to a Mokena Police report.

Jeffrey M. Leonard, 48, of the 19600 block of Stonehenge Drive in Mokena, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving off the roadway.  

On Nov. 14, Police were called to the 19600 block of Stonehenge Drive about an accident where an SUV drove into a tree around 12:35 a.m. The impact caused debris from the car and from a brick mailbox to be thrown throughout the area and north of the accident, as far as 50 feet away.

Leonard, the driver, was bleeding from his chin and said no one else was in the SUV. His speech was slow and slurred and he was swaying while standing, according to the report.

Leonard said he was out running an errand and looked down to put his seatbelt on when he struck the tree, police said.

Leonard said he took Vicodin and Percocet about 3.5 hours before the accident happened, according to the report. He showed police a scar he had from back surgery. He said he doesn’t drink alcohol when asked whether he did so that night, according to the report. Leonard also said he had taken Vicks for a cold he had.

He was taken to Silver Cross Hospital for treatment and released later that morning after minor treatment for injuries.

Police blotter information is provided by the Mokena Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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