Heroin Found in Urine of Sycamore Man After Crash That Killed 11-Year-Old

A Sycamore man has pleaded guilty to driving while heroin metabolite was in his urine in February when the car he was driving plowed into the rear of a second car, killing an 11-year-old boy, severely injuring a second person and causing a chain-reaction crash in west-central Kane County.

Benjamin J. Black, 29, of the 1500 block of Sparkhayes Drive, Sycamore, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of aggravated DUI, one a Class 2 felony and one a Class 4 felony.

Circuit Judge James C. Hallock accepted the plea and set Black’s next court appearance for 10 a.m. March 20, 2014, in Courtroom 313, for sentencing. Black faces a sentence of probation or between three and 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and a fine of up to $25,000.

At about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, 2013, Black was driving a 1999 Ford Expedition westbound on Illinois State Highway 64 in western Kane County. The Expedition crashed into the back of a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier in which 11-year-old Matthew Ranken of Sycamore was a backseat passenger. Ranken was killed, and a passenger in the front seat of the car, Teale Noble, was severely injured.

According to the Kane County Sheriff, the Cavalier was stopped, along with other vehicles, because of a crash that had occurred farther west on Route 64.

An analysis of Black’s urine taken immediately after the crash revealed the presence of heroin metabolite.

Black remains in custody at the Kane County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

“This case is the result of Mr. Black’s selfish and criminal choices, and a terrible reminder of the inherent danger of heroin use,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said. “Some might view a heroin habit as the self-destruction of the user. But this case is much more than that. This case is a gut-wrenching tragedy.”

The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Cullen.

SOURCE: Kane County State's Attorney's Office