09/01/2026
BATAVIA WOMAN SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS FOR FATAL DUI CRASH THAT KILLED 2 PEOPLE
Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announces that Judge David Kliment has sentenced Melissa J. Hill to eight years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
On June 22, 2026, Melissa Hill pled guilty to two counts of Aggravated DUI in a Crash Causing Death, Class 2 Felony.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Katy Flannagan and Tyler Cox presented the following facts in court:
In the late hours of July 21, 2023, Melissa Hill left a nearby residence traveling southbound on Bliss Road, a two-lane roadway in Blackberry Township. In an attempt to pass another vehicle, Hill entered the northbound lane in a no-passing zone and collided head-on with a pickup truck, causing a four-car crash.
The pickup was occupied by driver Jonathan Couch, 54, of Sugar Grove, and passenger Teresa Haidl, 56, of Batavia. Jonathan Couch was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and was ultimately pronounced dead the following morning. Teresa Haidl was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she died on July 23, 2023, two days after the crash.
The passengers of the two other vehicles suffered minor injuries.
Hill was transported to a nearby hospital, where her blood was drawn for medical treatment. Hill’s blood alcohol content was recorded at 0.236, nearly three times the legal limit. Officers who responded to the scene found a partially consumed bottle of wine on the passenger floorboard of Hill’s car, along with very loud music playing on the car’s audio system.
In accordance with Illinois law, Hill must serve at least 85% of the eight-year prison sentence. She receives credit for one day served in the Kane County Jail.
The maximum possible sentence was 28 years’ imprisonment, while the minimum was six years’ imprisonment or probation. Prosecutors asked for a sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment.
ASA Katy Flannagan said: “While no sentence will truly be enough to compensate for the loss of Jonathan or Teresa, I would like to thank their families for standing by our side through this process and through the court’s ruling. I would like to especially thank Sgt. Benson of the Kane County Sheriff’s Department for his excellent work in this case and continued pursuit of justice as new evidence came out during the sentencing hearing. I would like to thank members of our community who came forward when they did not have to in order to disclose important information regarding this case—their bravery and willingness to do what is right, even though difficult, was inspirational. I would finally like to thank ASA Tyler Cox for his help with this prosecution, Victim Advocate Linda Hagemann for her constant support for the multiple victims in this case, and Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) Victim Advocate Carrie Kilpatrick for her assistance as well. Our office will continue to fiercely advocate for harsh penalties in DUI cases because every motorist should understand that the decision to drive drunk may always result in seriously injuring or killing someone and that the outcome of those decisions will be incarceration.”
RE: Melissa J. Hill: Age 58, of the 1100 Block of S. Batavia Avenue, Batavia, Illinois. Case No. 2023CF001574.
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(Posted on September 1, 2026)
