Aurora police have secured seven felony charges through the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office on a 25-year-old Aurora man in connection with an alleged DUI crash that occurred around 9:10 Friday night and claimed the life of a 9-year-old girl.

Anthony S. Potochney (Credit: Aurora Police Department)

Anthony S. Potochney of the 900 block of North Avenue is charged with four counts of aggravated DUI, two counts of DUI, and a single count of leaving the scene of a crash. Authorities have not ruled out upgraded charges.

The 9-year-old, Katie Jonak of the 2900 block of Arbor Lane, Aurora, was a passenger in a 2009 Toyota Sienna minivan that was northbound on Broadway Avenue (IL Route 25) just south of Pierce Street in the downtown area, when a southbound 2003 Cadillac Deville driven by Potochney, drifted into the northbound lanes.

The driver of the Sienna, the child’s 40-year-old mother, Tonia Jonak, tried to avoid colliding with the Cadillac by making a sharp turn to the left, but was unsuccessful. The Cadillac hit the minivan on its passenger side, where Katie was sitting. Jonak was not able to stop the minivan until she hit a building on the west side of Broadway.

Potochney ran from the crash scene but was taken into custody without incident near the High Street Bridge that crosses the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks a short distance away. Witnesses assisted the Aurora police with descriptions of the man, which aided in his apprehension. He allegedly displayed signs of intoxication when taken into custody.

Aurora Fire Department paramedics rushed Katie, along with her two friends ages 10 and 12, who were also in the minivan, to Presence Mercy Medical Center. Katie was pronounced deceased at 9:44 p.m. The other two children suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Katie’s mother refused medical treatment. Potochney was taken to Rush Copley Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries.

Katie, her mom, and the two other girls were apparently on their way home from a church function when the crash occurred.

SOURCE: Aurora Police Department news release