Prosecutor wants higher bond for woman charged with reckless homicide

Monroe County State’s Attorney Kris Reitz filed a motion late Monday to increase the bond for Crystal Steinheimer, who faces charges of reckless homicide and driving under the influence in connection with a crash that killed two Randolph County women.

Reitz will ask a judge on Thursday to raise Steinheimer’s bond. Red Bud police caught her behind the wheel early Sunday morning. A condition of her bond was that she could not drive.

Reitz could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning.

Red Bud police cited Steinheimer on Sunday for driving on a suspended license. She already faced two counts of aggravated driving under the influence and two counts of reckless homicide in Monroe County in connection with the Jan. 10 crash that killed Abigail Liefer, 19, of Ruma, and Hannah Marie Porter, 20, of Red Bud.

Neither Steinheimer nor her attorney, Arlie Traughber, could be reached for comment.

Steinheimer’s license was suspended on Jan. 18, eight days after the Monroe County crash, according to Illinois Secretary of State records. Steinheimer was northbound on Illinois 159 near Sunset Lane when she lost control of a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo and crossed the center line, smashing head-on with a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Liefer. Liefer and Porter died. Steinheimer and another passenger in Liefer’s car, Grace E. Richards, 21, of Red Bed, were injured in the crash. Steinheimer’s blood-alcohol level was 0.179 percent — more than twice the 0.08 percent threshold for a drunken-driving citation in Illinois. Steinheimer was 20 at the time of the crash. The legal drinking age in Illinois is 21.

Steinheimer was released on a recognizance bond on June 4, when she was arraigned on the charges. A recognizance bond is a promise to appear in court later.

The charge of aggravated DUI carries a possible penalty of six to 28 years. If convicted, Steinheimer must serve 85 percent of the sentence before she is eligible for release. Reckless homicide carries a possible penalty of two to five years. A defendant is eligible for day-for-day good time credit on that charge.

See previous story here.

This story was originally published July 14, 2015 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Prosecutor wants higher bond for woman charged with reckless homicide."