Officer Richard Bolling, 42, faces charges of aggravated DUI, reckless homicide and leaving the scene of an accident for a fatal 2009 crash. Bolling was off-duty and on his way home from a club when police claim he struck and killed 13-year-old Trenton Booker, who was riding bikes with his friend.
Cook County prosecutors claim that minutes after striking the boy, Bolling was curbed driving the wrong way down a one way street with blood splattered on his damaged windshield. He did not hit his brakes until he was pulled over by police. Police claim they found an open bottle of beer and a bag of White Castle hamburgers spilled on the floor.
Bolling was not given field sobriety tests until almost two hours later and officers claimed that he passed those tests. In addition, his BAC was tested four and a half hours after the accident, which resulted in a .079 reading.
Witnesses testified they heard Bolling's car rev it's engine and estimated the vehicle to be speeding nearly 70 mph in a 30 mph zone. Cook County prosecutors will likely call an expert to estimate his BAC at the time the accident actually occurred.
Bolling's defense attorney denies that special treatment was ever given to his client and he was fully cooperative throughout the arrest. He also claims that although his client admits having a few drinks before leaving the club, he was not drunk.
Defense: Cop in fatal DUI case got no favors, www.chicagotribune.com, January 11, 2012
Cop wasn't drunk when he killed bicyclist, 13, attorney says, www.suntimes.com, January 11, 2012
