Prosecutors: Driver in Fatal Crash Was on Coke
James Cox charged with DUI, previously convicted 15 times of driving without license
By BJ LUTZ
Updated 3:24 PM CST, Wed, Nov 4, 2009
A Chicago man charged in a fatal crash that killed a pregnant woman and her child last month had cocaine in his system at the time, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The new information was revealed during a bond hearing for James Cox, who was charged a day earlier with driving under the influence in the Oct. 21 crash that killed Kim Brown and her unborn child and injured another mother and her two children. Brown's baby was delivered by emergency Cesarean section after the crash but died a day later.
Police say Cox was in a Chrysler minivan heading south on Kostner Avenue when he ran a red light at Washington Boulevard and struck a Ford van, causing both vehicles to drive into the pedestrians.
Tuesday's DUI charges came on top of citations for failing to obey a red light, driving on a revoked or suspended license, and not having insurance. Cox has been convicted 15 times for driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Cox also has convictions for drug cases in 2001 and 2007 for which he served time in prison, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He was ordered held on $500,000 bond.
First Published: Nov 4, 2009 2:14 PM CST
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