Man charged in Riverside rollover high-speed crash

RIVERSIDE, Ill. (WLS) -- A 24-year-old man was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and various traffic offenses stemming from a rollover crash on May 19 in west suburban Riverside, injuring himself and a 66-year-old woman.

Riverside police formally charged Nikola Cevizovic with two misdemeanor counts of DUI after he was released from the hospital for injuries he sustained in the crash. Police said he required surgery as a result of the crash.

On May 19, a black 2016 Kia was speeding south on First Avenue at 90 mph shortly before 10:30 p.m. when it blew through the red lights at 31st and Ridgewood before crashing into an SUV that was backing out of a driveway in the 3500 block of South First, according to Riverside police.

The crash sent the SUV into a tailspin and caused it to flip onto its side.

The 66-year-old Riverside woman driving the SUV had to be extricated from her vehicle, and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, police said. She was treated for head and leg injuries, and released.

Police said Cevizovic was ejected from the car. When emergency crews arrived, he was "screaming profanities at the officers and extremely belligerent with the paramedics as well," a statement from police said.

An officer had to accompany the man in an ambulance because he continued to be combative, police said. He "displayed obvious signs of intoxication" and officers could smell alcohol on his breath, but he refused to submit to a breath, blood or urine test.

He was also taken to Loyola with serious shoulder injuries, knee injuries, facial injuries and fractures, police said.

Police said Cevizovic had been released from Illinois Department of Corrections custody on May 9 after being sentenced to a year in prison for possession of a controlled substance. Police also said that he had prior convictions for burglary and driving on a suspended license, as well as 19 prior arrests for everything from traffic offenses to resisting arrest.

Police said at the time of the Riverside crash, Cevizovic's license was valid.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.