The driver who killed Hinsdale residents Brett and Melissa Lane will not face criminal prosecution.
Cook County prosecutors declined to file reckless homicide and aggravated DUI charges against Bozena Slimak, 46, of Hickory Hills, according to a 93-page La Grange police report obtained by Patch through a public records request. An assistant state's attorney rejected both charges in March 2026, concluding that "overwhelming" evidence and consistent witness accounts showed Slimak experienced a medical event with no known prior history.
The decision closes the criminal case nearly 11 months after the April 25, 2025, crash at 47th Street and Willow Springs Road in La Grange that killed Brett Allen Lane, 51, and Melissa Ann Lane, 49.
With criminal charges off the table, the Lane family's wrongful death lawsuit remains the only active legal proceeding against Slimak.
What the police report shows
Slimak, a housekeeper traveling from a cleaning job, struck several vehicles before running a red light and colliding with the Lanes' 2024 Porsche 718 Cayman, according to the police report. The family's lawsuit alleges she reached speeds of 90 mph on Willow Springs Road. A responding officer noted Slimak showed "altered awareness, appearing confused and disoriented regarding her surroundings and the recent collision."
Toxicology found codeine and morphine in Slimak's urine, but the analysis determined the drugs were a "trace amount" with a "low concentration," inconsistent with active intoxication. Slimak's attorney, Katherine Levine, told a detective the opiates likely came from poppy seeds eaten over the Easter holiday. Police were unable to interview Slimak directly.
La Grange Police Chief Timothy Griffin asked the Illinois State Police whether they wanted to handle the case. State police declined.
Five months of silence
La Grange Village Manager Jack Knight, who serves as the police department's spokesperson, did not publicly disclose that prosecutors had closed the case in March 2026. On July 8, Knight told Patch the case "remains the subject of litigation" and said the village had been advised not to comment.
The 93-page report only became public after Patch filed a records request on July 22.
Civil lawsuits continue
Two civil suits remain active. The Lane family's estate, represented by attorney Lance Northcutt of the Salvi Schostok law firm, has sued Slimak and the Pleasantview Fire District for wrongful death. A separate plaintiff, Dawn Mack, has sued Slimak and seven agencies including the La Grange, Western Springs, Hinsdale and La Grange Park police and fire departments.
As we reported Aug. 10, the Pleasantview Fire District denied liability in its legal response, arguing its paramedics followed Slimak from a safe distance and that their actions do not meet the "willful and wanton" standard required under Illinois law.
No upcoming court dates have been publicly announced in either case.
