Streets and Sanitation driver charged with DUI in crash
May 22, 2011 11:44PM
Updated: June 24, 2011 12:32AM
A city worker was charged with driving under the influence after losing control of his truck and hitting a toddler and six other pedestrians Saturday in the Gold Coast neighborhood, police said.
Dwight Washington, 61, of the 1800 block of North Linder, was cited with DUI; transporting open alcohol in a vehicle; failure to reduce speed, and negligent driving, police said.
Washington allegedly had an open bottle of brandy next to him in the pickup, according to a police source.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation worker was driving a city Ford F-150 pickup north on State Street when he lost control about 12:20 p.m. at the three-way intersection of Rush, Cedar and State streets, police said. The pedestrians, some of whom were models in a wedding photo shoot, were on the southeast corner.
Isaiah Watkins, who works at Ashkenaz Deli across the street from the crash, said police removed what appeared to be a whiskey bottle from the pickup and performed a field sobriety test on the driver.
A child, about 2 years old, was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening. Six other pedestrians were injured, two critically. Washington also was injured.
More charges were expected in the case, police said.
Rosemary Sobol
and Michael Lansu
