Monroe County judge increases bond for woman accused of reckless homicide
A Monroe County judge raised the bond on Crystal Steinheimer, who is facing reckless homicide charges in connections with a crash that killed two women, after Red Bud police caught her behind the wheel.
At a hearing on Thursday, Steinheimer’s attorney, Arlie Traughber, agreed Steinheimer violated the conditions of her bond by driving. Steinheimer did not attend the hearing. Traughber told Monroe County Judge Dennis Doyle that Steinheimer was hospitalized at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville. He did not specify why she was hospitalized.
Monroe County State’s Attorney Kris Reitz asked Doyle to set Steinheimer’s bond at $50,000. Traughber requested a $25,000 bond. Doyle agreed with Reitz and ordered Steinheimer’s bond be set at $50,000. Doyle also ordered Steinheimer to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office within 24 hours.
During his argument, Reitz told Doyle that Steinheimer’s bond should be increased to protect the safety of the public. He also said that through her actions on Sunday, Steinheimer demonstrated that she didn’t comprehend the seriousness of the charges she faced.
Steinheimer’s license was suspended on Jan. 18, eight days after the Monroe County crash that took the lives of Abigail Liefer, 19, of Ruma, and Hannah Marie Porter, 20, of Red Bud.
Steinheimer was driving north on Illinois 159 near Sunset Lane when she lost control of her 2008 Chevrolet Aveo and crossed the center line, crashing head-on with a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Liefer. Steinheimer and a passenger in Liefer’s car, Grace E. Richards, 21, of Red Bud, were injured in the crash. Steinheimer’s blood alcohol level was .0179 — more than twice the 0.08 threshold for drunken driving in Illinois. Steinheimer is 20. The legal drinking age in Illinois is 21.
Steinheimer was charged with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide. She pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Steinheimer was caught driving five weeks after she was arraigned on those charges and released on her own recognizance.
Contact reporter Beth Hundsdorfer at bhundsdorfer@bnd.com or 618-239-2570. Follow her on Twitter: @bhundsdorfer.
This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Monroe County judge increases bond for woman accused of reckless homicide."