Leesburg semi driver pleads guilty to reckless homicide that killed five people

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A Kosciusko County semi-truck driver involved in a crash that killed five people in northern Illinois two years ago has pleaded guilty to five counts of reckless homicide.

In a news release, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow says Francisco Espinal-Quiroz of Leesburg, Indiana pleaded guilty Tuesday to the reckless homicide counts and to falsifying entries in his logbook that tracks how many hours he was behind the wheel. Glasgow says Espinal-Quiroz faces up to 28 years in prison when he is sentenced in February.

The 53-year-old Espinal-Quiroz was driving on Interstate 55 near Channahon on July 21, 2014 when his vehicle slammed into vehicles stopped at a construction zone. The crash killed five people, including an 11-year old girl.