HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) -
The 18-year-old north suburban woman accused of driving onto a sidewalk on Labor Day and fatally striking a 5-year-old girl is now facing more serious charges in connection with the crash, with prosecutors claiming she was under the effects of an inhalant at the time.
Carly Rousso of Highland Park was charged Wednesday with one count of reckless homicide and four counts of aggravated driving under the influence of an intoxicating compound, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's office.
Toxicology tests found that she had a commercial cleaning product in her system at the time of the accident, according to prosecutors, and a can of such a product was found in her car.
Rousso surrendered Wednesday morning before Judge Raymond Collins, who raised her bond to $500,000.
On Sept. 3, Rousso was driving eastbound on Central Avenue in Highland Park when she veered across multiple lanes of traffic, left the roadway, and drove onto the sidewalk in the 700 block of Central Avenue, prosecutors allege.
That's where she struck 5-year-old Jaclyn Santos-Sacramento, her mother and her two brothers. Jaclyn was taken to Evanston Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead from injuries suffered in the crash. Her mother and two brothers were later released.
Rousso submitted to blood testing at the hospital, and the Illinois State Police Crime Lab toxicology reports indicated the compound difluoroethane was in Rousso's blood, prosecutors said in a release. Found in her car was a commercial cleaning product, an analysis of which found it to contain difluoroethane.
Rousso was originally released on a $3,000 personal recognizance bond, according to court records. On Tuesday, a judge increased her bond to $50,000 because the city of Highland Park asked for a bond increase and modified bond conditions.
Defense attorney Douglas Zeit said in court Tuesday that Rousso is a student at College of Lake County and is attending a treatment program in Lake Bluff four to five nights a week.
She is next expected in court on Oct. 9 at 10:30 a.m. in Waukegan.
