Coal City Pot Smoker Who Killed Motorcyclist Sentenced To Prison

COAL CITY, IL —A 35-year-old Coal City man who was smoking marijuana in his Jeep Liberty when he crashed into a 62-year-old New Lenox motorcycle rider, killing the man, was sentenced to prison last week. Steven Klein drew a term of six years at the Illinois Department of Corrections from Will County Judge Daniel Rippy.

Klein was convicted of aggravated DUI and aggravated driving with a revoked license.

Klein, who was 33 at the time of his fatal wreck in rural Manhattan Township, has remained in the Will County Jail ever since his arrest by the Will County Sheriff's Office on April 21, 2019.

Patch previously reported that New Lenox resident Kenneth Markel, 62, was pronounced dead at the Silver Cross Hospital Emergency Room in New Lenox.

Authorities said that Klein drove through the stop sign at the intersection of Cedar and Pauling roads when he crashed into the New Lenox man's motorcycle, killing Markel.

"Defendant was driving under the influence of cannabis while his license was revoked and as a result caused an accident killing another individual," Will County sentencing documents show.

Will County court records show that Klein will receive credit for the 717 days of incarceration he has already served inside the Will County Jail.

Prior to the fatal wreck, the Coal City defendant had a criminal conviction for aggravated fleeing/aggravated DUI in Boone County. He also had convictions for possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver and DUI from Columbia County, Wisconsin; and theft from Winnebago County.