Wallace Faust / Photo from Chicago Police
BY SUSAN DU
Homicide Watch Chicago
Charges have been upgraded against Wallace Faust for allegedly smoking marijuana prior to a crash that killed his passenger last December on the South Side.
Faust, 18, of the 7600 block of South Greenwood Avenue, was charged days after the crash with one misdemeanor count of DUI. He was charged Monday with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide, authorities said.
On Tuesday, Faust appeared before Judge Adam Bourgeous Jr. to face the new charges. Bourgeous released Faust on a $350,000 individual recognizance bond and ordered him placed on electronic monitoring.
About 11:20 p.m. Dec. 28, 2013, witnesses saw Faust and his cousin driving separate cars at a high rate of speed on South Chicago Avenue, Assistant State's Attorney Rina Infelise said.
The vehicles sped through green lights at 78th and 79th streets, then disobeyed a red light at 81st Street, Infelise said.
The cousins attempted to pass a westbound vehicle, but when Faust swerved the 2013 Hyundai Sonata he was driving he lost control and crashed into a light pole, Infelise said.
A passenger in the Sonanta, 18-year-old Darius Dudley, was ejected from the car and landed in the street, Infelise said.
Dudley, of the 7700 block of South Greenwood Avenue, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about two hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
A witness saw Faust sitting in the driver's seat bleeding from his mouth, Infelise said. Another witnesses gave Faust tissue for his mouth.
After being released from the hospital, officers found a small plastic bag containing "several burnt up blunts," Infelise said. A DUI test performed at the hospital tested positive for THC and Faust admitted to smoking cannabis earlier in the day.
Faust is a senior at Kenwood Academy High School and plans to go to college, his attorney said.
Faust will be back in court May 5.