Man Charged in Fatal Crash that Killed Wife of Harper Trustee

A Cullom man was arrested May 12 in connection with a fatal crash that occurred March 24 in Lake Zurich.

Lake Barrington resident Katherine Walker-Hoffman, 56, wife of Harper College Trustee Dick Hoffman, was killed in the crash.

Police said that Walker-Hoffman was killed when a 2004 Jeep Laredo heading south on Route 12 left the roadway and struck her. Hoffman was at a car wash and was outside her vehicle at the time of the incident.

Lake Zurich Police arrested Thomas G. Murphy, 40, of 208 E. Jackson St., Cullom, IL, and charged him with three counts of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony; four counts of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs, a Class 2 felony; and aggravated driving with an amount of a drug, a Class 2 felony, said Cmdr. Kevin Finlon, police department spokesman.

Police were called to the three vehicle crash at Route 12 and Honey Lake Road at 2:50 p.m. March 24. Hoffman-Walker was killed in the incident. Two other individuals were transported to hospitals with injuries.

On May 12, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office approved the charges against Murphy who was taken into custody at his Cullom residence on by members of the Lake Zurich Police Department. Judge George Strickland set Murphy's bond at $1 million, Finlon said.

"The Lake Zurich Police Department is committed to protecting the users of all village roadways by fully investigating all traffic crashes and enforcing all traffic laws," Finlon said. "Motorists found to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested and held accountable for their actions."