Eldor Akilov
Running errands on a Sunday evening in early January 2020 turned tragic for a Des Plaines father and son, when an accused drunk driver who authorities say was traveling at least 40 mph over the speed limit slammed his vehicle into their car.
That driver went on trial Tuesday in a Cook County courtroom on aggravated DUI charges stemming from the crash that took the life of Alejandro Arzeta, 46, and seriously injured his 10-year-old son, Alejandro Jr.
Authorities allege Eldor Akilov of Florida was driving with a blood-alcohol level of .220 — nearly three times the legal limit of .08 — when the crash occurred along Route 83 shortly after 7 p.m. Jan. 5, 2020. Akilov, 37, was driving between 85 mph and 92 mph in a 35 mph zone at the time, authorities allege.
“He never even hit the brakes,” Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Nancy Nazarian said during her opening statement.
The force of the crash spun Arzeta’s car, pinning the father of four in the driver’s seat and causing devastating injuries, Nazarian said. Alejandro Jr., who shares his father’s birthday, was hospitalized with multiple injuries.
“It was some days before his mom told him his father was dead,” Nazarian said.
Defense attorney Maksim Tikhvinsky urged jurors in his opening statement to watch and listen to the testimony and pay careful attention to the evidence before making a decision.
The crash, which caused Akilov’s car to spin and burst into flames, attracted the attention of two employees from a nearby Boston Market. They raced from the restaurant to pull Akilov from his burning car, Nazarian said.
The teens, Ben Pennino, then 17, and Ryan Brock, then 18, later received lifesaving awards from the Mount Prospect Fire Department for their heroic actions.
Pennino testified Tuesday he was behind the counter and Brock was cleaning the dining room when his co-worker heard the collision and yelled. Running to Akilov’s Chevrolet Impala, Pennino opened the driver’s door while Brock kicked away debris. Pennino said he reached for Akilov, whose seat belt was already off, grabbed his shoulder, pulled him from the car and dragged him five or six feet.
“By the time I had him to the side it was all flames. The car was engulfed,” he testified.
Witness Daniel Garcia testified he saw a white Chevy Impala similar to Akilov’s speeding northbound on Elmhurst Road around 7 p.m. that evening.
“(The driver was) going in and out, switching lanes, using the median,” Garcia said. “He almost hit another car.”
Dr. Shannon Brumund, an emergency room physician at Endeavor Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, treated Akilov that night for major injuries to his right hip and right heel. She testified he was intoxicated, evidenced by his slurred words and the smell of alcohol.
“He told me he had been drinking,” she added.
Testimony continues Wednesday at the Cook County courthouse in Skokie.