DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced Monday, April 28, 2025 that a Woodridge resident accused of killing a bicyclist while driving drunk, and then fleeing the scene, has been sentenced to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Salil Chander, age 35, of the block of 4100 Nelson Court in Woodridge, appeared in court Monday morning where he entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill to one count of Aggravated DUI Resulting in the Death of Another Person (Class 2 Felony), in front of Judge Joseph Bugos, who handed down the sentence. On August 8, 2023, Chander appeared in Bond Court where bond was set at $1 million with 10% to apply. In October 2024, following a pre-trial detention hearing under the new Pre-Trial Fairness Act, Chander was granted pre-trial release.
On August 6, 2023, at approximately 5:05 p.m., Woodridge police officers responded to a 9-1-1 call for assistance on the 4100 block of Nelson Court. Approximately three minutes later, the caller notified officers that the individual, later identified as Chander, had left the home in a silver Kia. Approximately one minute later, Chander struck a light pole on Nelson Court. After striking the light pole, he continued driving westbound on Green Trails Drive when he veered into the eastbound lane of Green Trails Drive and struck and killed sixty-four-year-old Michael Norton of Naperville, who was riding a bicycle. After striking Norton with his vehicle, Chander continued to drive away. An eyewitness to the crash called 9-1-1. Woodridge police officers were on the scene within ten seconds of the call and located Chander approximately three-tenths of a mile away near Green Trails Drive and Ridgewood Road where he was taken into custody. Following an investigation into the crash, authorities learned that at the time of the crash Chander’s BAC was 0.222.
“With a BAC of nearly three times the legal limit, Mr. Chander had no business behind the wheel of a car. The sad truth is, like all drunk driving fatalities, the tragic death of an innocent person was completely avoidable had Mr. Chander simply not operated a vehicle after he had been drinking. People have to remember, driving is a privilege, not a right and violating that privilege can lead to heartbreaking consequences, as we saw in this case. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Matthew Dambach, Eric Vincent and Anna Derkacz for their work in preparing a solid case against the defendant that led to today’s guilty plea.”
— DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin
Chander will be required to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole. He was taken off the floor following today’s appearance and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
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