John Buckley, 60, of Plainfield, Sentenced to 18 Months for Drunk Driving Crash that Killed 72-Year-Old Man in Fox Lake

A man has been given an 18-month periodic imprisonment sentence after being found guilty of driving under the influence and causing a fatal five-vehicle crash in Fox Lake. John M. Buckley, 60, from Plainfield, was charged in August 2021 with three counts of reckless homicide by motor vehicle and two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident occurred on June 5, 2021, at the intersection of Route 12 and Big Hollow Road. Responding to reports of a multi-vehicle crash with injuries, the Fox Lake Police Department and Fox Lake Fire Protection District arrived at the scene. Five vehicles were involved in the collision: a silver 2014 Infiniti QX80 SUV, a silver 2017 GMC Acadia, a red Dodge Caravan, a black Toyota Solara, and a brown Chevrolet pickup.

The investigation revealed that Buckley, driving the silver Infiniti, was traveling southbound on Route 12 and attempted to turn right onto westbound Big Hollow Road. However, he crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with the vehicles that were stopped at the red traffic light on Route 12.

Multiple witnesses reported that Buckley was driving recklessly just before the crash. Sadly, Stephen Kamen, 72, from Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, Wisconsin, who was driving the GMC, died at the scene. An autopsy determined that Kamen succumbed to multiple blunt force injuries from the crash.

Buckley’s blood was taken and analyzed for alcohol content, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.117, over five hours after the accident. He has been out on a $500,000 bond since his arrest.

Recently, Buckley was convicted of one count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol causing death, a Class 2 felony. A judge sentenced him to 120 days in the Lake County Jail, 18 months of periodic imprisonment, 200 hours of public service, and 48 months of probation. Additionally, Buckley must pay court fines and fees and is prohibited from consuming cannabis or alcohol and possessing any dangerous weapons during his probation.