Man must get treatment in order to stand trial for crash deaths

ANNA, Ill. -- A brain-injured man must undergo treatment in an attempt to make him ready to stand trial for the deaths of five people in a drunken-driving accident, a judge ruled.

Union County assistant state's attorney Brian Trambley and defense attorney John Womick must make recommendations for rehabilitation treatment within 30 days, Judge Ronald Eckiss decided Tuesday. The treatment will be aimed at making Jason K. King, 33, of Cypress, Ill., fit to stand trial within 12 months.

In June 2004, King was driving the wrong way on Interstate 57 when his pickup truck slammed into a car traveling to a family reunion in Arkansas. Four adults, a child and two unborn children lost their lives.

King is charged with five counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing a death, five counts of reckless homicide with a motor vehicle and one count of aggravated driving under the influence causing great bodily harm.

All the charges are felonies.

Womick argued that his client would never be fit to stand trial, but Eckiss agreed with a psychologist testifying for prosecutors that there is a good likelihood he could become fit.

Under Illinois law, if King does not recover enough to help with his trial within 12 months, a hearing could be held to determine if he is guilty, in which case he could be sent to a rehabilitation facility for an additional two years for additional efforts to prepare him for a criminal trial.