7am News, Sports and Obits

Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
DNA Test Granted In Fatal Accident Case
A Knox County judge has given the okay for D-N-A testing to be done on a Galesburg woman accused of causing a fatal accident a few weeks ago near the Knox College campus.

Judge James Stewart yesterday ruled in a hearing that 33-year old Lakeesha Smith can have blood, saliva, and hair samples taken from her as part of the evidence-gathering process in the case.

Smith faces charges of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death, Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, and Reckless Homicide.

She's accused of committing an accident in late-October that claimed the life of Knox junior Tundun Lawani, as she was crossing South Street.

Public Defender Jim Harrell argued that the testing to be done is irrelevant, and that he objected to the testing being done.

But Stewart sided with prosecutors who argued that the testing is completely relevant.

Smith remains held in the Knox County Jail on 100-thousand dollars bond, and will be back in court Monday for a preliminary hearing.

A number of vigils and memorials have been held on campus since the accident, one occurring this past weekend.
11 14 12 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.