Alcohol, Texting Factored into Rollover Crash on Burlington: Police

Alcohol and texting were involved in a rollover crash that sent three teenage boys to the hospital Friday morning with minor injuries, Western Springs police said.

Steven J. Heilenbach, 19, of the 4400 block of Clausen Avenue, was texting around 8:47 a.m. when the SUV he was driving rolled off the road and hit a curb and tree in the 200 block of Burlington, police said.

Heilenbach and his two passengers, Matthew T. Pingel, 19, of the 1100 block of E. Cambri Lane in Lombard, and Nicholas J. Scarpaci, 19, of the 0-99 block of Burlington Avenue in Western Springs, left the scene of the crash on foot before police arrived, according to the report.

When officers found the men, they determined that Heilenbach lost control of the SUV as he was texting.

All three teens had been drinking prior to the crash and were issued local ordinance citations, police said.

Heilenbach was also cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, illegal use of an electronic device while driving and illegal transportation of alcohol.

The men were taken to La Grange Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.

Police blotter information is provided by local 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 us. We will verify and report the outcome.