Drunk Driver Who Killed Girl in '99 Guilty in Another Drunken Crash
Glen Higginbotham of Yorkville was out of prison for almost three and a half years when he was locked up again on Christmas.
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A Yorkville man convicted of killing a 10-year-old girl in a 1999 drunken wreck is heading back to prison for a boozy Christmas Day crash.
Glen Ray Higginbotham, 34, was found guilty Thursday of aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated driving with a revoked license by Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak.
Higginbotham took a seven-year prison sentence in April 2000 for ramming into a vehicle on State Street near 12th Street in Lockport, killing a 10-year-old girl riding in the back seat.
On the night of the May 1999 crash, a county deputy clocked Higginbotham driving faster than 80 mph just moments before the collision. The girl who was killed, Candace Graham, was not wearing a seat belt. Candace's mother, Constance Graham, was making a legal left turn when Higginbotham's speeding car plowed into her vehicle.
Constance Graham admitted to drinking tequila and beer for hours before the crash. Her blood-alcohol content was .197 percent. A blood draw showed Higginbotham's blood-alcohol content was at .2 percent and that he also had cocaine in his system.
Constance Graham was placed on court supervision after pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor drunken driving.
In his latest drunken crash, Higginbotham ran into a Cadillac on New Lenox Road near Oakview Avenue in unincorporated Joliet on Christmas.
The driver of the Cadillac, 21-year-old Danzel Mitchell of Joliet, was injured in the crash. Higginbotham was charged with attempting to flee the scene of the accident. If he was trying to get away, he likely failed to make it very far as at least two of the wheels were coming off his pickup truck.
Higginbotham's attorney, Alonzo Zahour, was given permission to argue for a new trial on Dec. 6.
Infamous Steve
9:31 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
I knew this loser through a friend....I hope he spends the rest of his life in prison. After this guy go out for killing that little girl he did nothing to make his or anyone's life better. He went right back to drinking and driving and doing drugs. I ended up losing a good friend of 15 years due to this guys influence on him. That friend ended up in rehab because he wanted to be this losers buddy!
Formereastside
10:15 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
This man had no remorse for the lives he has taken and/or ruined. Lock him up in a cage and throw away the key.
lala
12:42 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
And Constance Graham should be his cell mate. She's out drinking and driving with he kid in the car, without a seat belt. Poor kid has to die for having an irresponsible parent.
Time Is Money
12:46 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
I agree lala
Flora Dora
10:26 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Glen Ray should never have gotten such alight sentence for killing that child. He should never get out of jail again!
Barbara Wynn
2:42 pm on Saturday, November 24, 2012
I lost both of my uncles and my grandmother to alcohol. Driving under the influence is by far the stupidist thing to do. He thought he was above the law. Looking up to someone with a DUI is sad. This spilts up families and communities. I really think that he should stay in jail or wear a device that signals authorities of his drinking/drug use. He won't have an option.