New Lenox, Mokena Men Severely Injured in DUI Accident

Police say men from Mokena and New Lenox were severely injured March 6 after the driver's car ran into a ditch and flipped into a tree in Manhattan.

Eric J. Larson, 22, of the 500 block of Stafford Drive in New Lenox, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol over the legal limit, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving without insurance.  

Will County Sheriff's Police say Larson lost control of his Chevy van, struck a culvert in a ditch, went airborne and hit a tree upon landing. He was taken to Silver Cross Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Two passengers, however, suffered severe injuries and were both taken to Silver Cross. Brian Falls, 22, of New Lenox, was treated for a severe eye injury and a possibly broken leg, and Gregory Pezan, 23, of Mokena, was treated for a broken back, broken ankle and punctured lung.

Police blotter information is provided by law enforcement agencies. 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.