Update on that collision and another
A Rogers Park man was in critical condition after the motorcycle he was riding at a speed in excess of 100 mph on Lake Shore Drive skidded into a guardrail early Wednesday, police said.
Jon Vereen, 21, of the 1400 block of West Pratt, has been cited for negligent driving and driving under the influence in connection with the crash, which happened around 2:48 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Lake Shore, said Sgt. Maurice McCaster of the Chicago Police Department's Major Accidents Unit.
Vereen's blood-alcohol level was .18, more than double the legal limit, McCaster said.
Vereen also was cited for speeding and driving on a suspended license. It was unclear if he was wearing a helmet.
Police said Vereen slammed into the guardrail while trying to clear a curve near Oak Street as he was riding southbound on his 2001 Suzuki GSX-R1000 sport bike.
He was hospitalized in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police said.
Wednesday's near-fatal crash came less than a month after 23-year-old David Campos of Wheeling was killed when his motorcycle struck the back of a car in the northwest suburb while he was going 80 to 100 mph.
Campos' blood-alcohol level was two to three times the legal limit in the late-night crash, officials said.
So far this year, 60 people have died in motorcycle accidents, according to Illinois Department of Transportation statistics. Last year, 155 people died.
McCaster said almost all of the high-speed motorcycle accidents his department handles involve "crotch rockets" like the one Vereen was riding -- sport bikes with top speeds above 150 mph.
The Police Department is trying to cut down on the problem by issuing more tickets, but McCaster said: "To be honest, when they are doing in excess of 100 miles per hour, there's not a whole lot we can do.
"We just have to hope they stop at the light."
