An off-duty police officer accused in last month's deadly wrong way crash on Lake Shore Drive intends to plead not guilty to the charges, his attorney said Friday.
Terrell Garrett, who is still in a wheelchair and recovering in a hospital inside the Cook County Jail, appeared in court for the first time Friday. He faces two counts of aggravated driving under the influence and two counts of reckless homicide in connection with the March 15 crash near Diversey Parkway that killed Joaquin Garcia and Fabian Torres.
Garrett's attorney says the case may not be as clear-cut as it appears.
"I haven't seen any of the police reports. I don't know any of the diagrams. I haven't talked to any of the witnesses. So before I can say anything as far as how we're going to proceed with the case, it'll be a plea of not guilty and we'll look at the investigation as it unfolds," attorney Rich Blass told reporters outside the courtroom.
Garrett, who joined the North Chicago Police Department in 2008, was off-duty at the time of the crash.
The criminal charges aren't the only legal action being taken against Garrett. The mother of one of the victims has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
