Drunken Driver's Trip to Taco Bell Lands Car in Front Lawn, Police Say

A woman is facing multiple charges, including one for drunken driving, after she drove off course during a run to Taco Bell.

Elizabeth N. Naegele, 19, of 17927 66th Ct. in , is accused May 10 of crashing into a parked car, driving into the front lawn of an Oak Forest home and destroying a wooden wishing well lawn decoration.

said they responded to a single-car crash at about 2:45 a.m. in the 15000 block of Waverly Avenue. During their investigation, they determined that Naegele's green 1995 Pontiac Grand Am slammed into a parked car, hopped a ditch and came to a stop in a nearby yard.

Naegele's mouth was bleeding and she was taken to Advocate South Suburban Hospital for treatment. There she said she had consumed six Bud Light Lime bottles and several shots of vodka before driving, according to police. She also reportedly smelled like alcohol.

Naegele told police she got behind the wheel of the car to drive several of her friends to the Mexican fast food restaurant. She refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

She was charged for failure to reduce speed to avoid a traffic crash, driving without proof of insurance, driving without a license and driving under the influence of alcohol. 

Three other people were in the car with Naegele, according to police. One was treated for minor injuries at South Suburban Hospital and released. Another had walked down the street shortly after the crash and was stopped by Midlothian police. A third person left before Oak Forest police could speak with him. None of the passengers were cited.

Police Blotter information is provided by the Oak Forest Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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