DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that a Geneva man charged with crashing into a vehicle on the side of the roadway killing one man and seriously injuring another has been sentenced to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Nicholas Roepke, 20 (d.o.b. 8/8/1992) appeared at his sentencing hearing this morning where Judge Michael Reidy handed down the sentence. On March 16, 2023, Roepke entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated DUI Causing Death (Class 2 Felony) and one count of Aggravated DUI Causing Great Bodily Harm (Class 4 Felony). On March 10, 2022, Roepke appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Michael Reidy set bond at $500,000 with 10% to apply. Roepke posted the necessary 10%, or $50,000, later that day and was released from custody. He has remained out on bond since that time on SCRAM monitoring.
Willie Mosley was Killed in March 2022 by Nicholas Roepke
On March 7, 2022, at approximately 7:40 p.m., officers with the Aurora Police Department responded to a crash on northbound Eola Road. Upon their arrival, officers found the victim, seventy-three-year-old Willie Mosley, of Maywood, suffering from serious injuries. Mosley was immediately transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. An investigation into the crash found that Mosley and another individual had stopped on the road and, with the assistance of a good samaritan who pulled over to help, were reloading a refrigerator onto their pickup truck after it had fallen off. As the men were loading the refrigerator onto the truck, a vehicle, driven by Roepke, crashed into the truck pinning Mosley between the vehicle and the truck and injuring the two other men. The man traveling with Mosley sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment. The man who pulled over to assist was taken to a hospital for medical attention after suffering serious injuries. Roepke was transported to a local hospital for medical attention to minor injuries and was subsequently released to the Aurora Police Department. The investigation also found that Roepke’s BAC was .214 shortly after the crash.
“This afternoon, Nicholas Roepke learned that his decision to drive after he had been drinking will cost him the next ten years of his life,” Berlin said. “This cost however, pales in comparison to what that decision cost Willie Mosley’s family and friends, who are now left with just memories of Willie to see them through the rest of their lives. This decision also cost the injured man a permanent injury that will affect him for the rest of his life. The sad truth is that this tragedy, like all drunk driving fatalities, was 100% avoidable had Mr. Roepke not gotten behind the wheel that evening. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Robert Willis and Denis Cahill for their efforts in holding Mr. Roepke for the death of Willie Mosley.”
Roepke will be required to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
SOURCE: DuPage County States Attorney
