Police Officer Charged With Drunken Driving In Crash That Killed 2, Injured 1

Friday, November 23rd 2007, 10:03 am

By: News On 6

CHICAGO (AP) A police officer was charged with drunken driving Thursday after a car crash that killed two men and injured a third. John Ardelean, 33, was off-duty when the crash occurred just before 3 a.m. on the city's North Side, police said.

Ardelean was charged with misdemeanor DUI and driving left of center, police spokesman Hector Alfaro said.

A telephone listing for Ardelean could not be located late Thursday. A message left for the Fraternal Order of Police was not immediately returned.

Ardelean, a five-year veteran of the Police Department, was driving a sport utility vehicle that struck a sedan carrying three men.

Erick Lagunas, 21, who was ejected from the sedan, and Miguel Flores, 22, were pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The third man was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, police spokeswoman Amina Greer. She did not identify the man or have further details on his condition.

Sgt. Eugene Mullins said he did not know Ardelean's blood-alcohol level.

``That's not available now. We don't know exactly what happened,'' Mullins said. ``We don't have the particulars. That's all under investigation.''

Ardelean is due in traffic court January 23rd.