PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A Hanna City man has pleaded guilty in connection with a deadly crash in January 2023 that left a woman dead.

Jeremy E. Perry, 45, pleaded guilty in Peoria County Circuit Court to one count of aggravated DUI in connection with Jan. 15, 2023, crash that killed Miriam Schmid, 43, of Edwards and left her son severely injured.

Chemical testing indicated he had cannabis and methamphetamine in his system at the time of the mid-morning collision near the intersection of U.S. Route 150 and Koerner Road.

In return for his plea, lesser charges of aggravated DUI, driving on a revoked license and aggravated fleeing and eluding were dismissed by Peoria County prosecutors.

The crash was the cumulation of a lengthy flight from deputies with the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office who responded to a gas station at the Kickapoo exit off Interstate 74 several minutes prior.

The call was for two people who were unresponsive in a Buick LeSabre. Deputies were able to remove a woman from the car but the other person, Perry, drove off. They chased him on Kickapoo-Edwards Road and then onto U.S. Route 150 where he collided head-on with Schmid’s vehicle.

In all, three vehicles were involved. Schmid was pronounced dead at the scene while her son suffered severe injuries including a traumatic brain injury and a lacerated spleen. A third vehicle was also involved but it wasn’t known how they were injured.

A review of his plea indicates there was no agreement to what sentence he might receive when he’s before Circuit Judge Paul Bauer on June 25. He faces at least three years and possibly up to 14 years behind bars.

Bauer could impose a term of probation, but Perry will have to show “extraordinary circumstances” why he should not go to prison. That’s different from most crimes, as the burden is on Jerry to show why he should get probation.

If sentenced to prison, Perry would have to serve at least 85% minus whatever time he has spent in custody already.

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