‘We miss our mother so much’: Ex-cop pleads guilty to 2023 DUI crash that killed DeKalb woman

SYCAMORE – A former suburban Chicago police officer has pleaded guilty to getting behind the wheel while drunk in 2023 and causing a crash that killed DeKalb mother and grandmother Graciela Reza Contreras.

James M. Corralejo, now 27, of DeKalb will be sentenced in July, lead prosecutor Scott Schwertley of the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office said. Corralejo pleaded guilty Wednesday to one Class 2 felony count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing death.

Reza Contreras’ daughter, Lorena Contreras, has attended every court hearing of Corralejo’s since her mother was killed. In a statement on behalf of her family, she said she’s relieved that the court ordeal may be coming to a close.

“We are finally seeing an end to this,” Contreras said. “It’s been very challenging having to come to court every date every month. We haven’t missed not one, and we are hoping for closure soon for our family.”

Corralejo previously pleaded not guilty in December 2023 to aggravated DUI, reckless homicide and DUI. Police allege in court records, however, that Corralejo admitted to drinking the night of the crash, and that tests showed his blood-alcohol concentration at the time was almost twice the legal limit.

Reza Contreras, 59, was a block from her home, returning after celebrating her grandson’s sixth birthday party. Loved ones have remembered Reza Contreras as devoted to her family. She worked at Portillo’s in Sycamore for more than two decades, loved to bake and cook for her family, and was originally from Durango, Mexico.

Corralejo faces three to 14 years in prison, a sentence that is required to be served at 85%. Corralejo also could be eligible for probation if a judge finds “extraordinary circumstances” exist, Schwertley said. The case is presided over by Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery. Corralejo is represented by defense attorney Gary Johnson.

Prosecutors said at the time of the Nov. 5, 2023, crash said that Corralejo’s BAC was 0.152%, Schwertely said, well beyond the legal limit of 0.08%. At the time of the crash, Corralejo was a police officer with the village of South Holland in Cook County, a south suburb of Chicago. He’s no longer employed there, and has since testified that he works in DeKalb. Montgomery revoked his driver’s license.

Schwertely said that had Corralejo’s case gone to trial, prosecutors would have presented evidence to show Corralejo was driving drunk behind the wheel of his pickup truck shortly before 1 a.m. Nov. 5 at South Seventh and Taylor streets in DeKalb. Corralejo’s truck struck a car carrying Reza Contreras and three of her family members. She was sitting in the back seat and suffered severe extremity injuries. She later died at a nearby hospital, authorities said.

To keep her mom’s memory alive, Contreras said she keeps photos of Reza Contreras throughout her house.

Reza Contreras’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Corralejo on Feb. 8, court records show.

Corralejo is expected to be sentenced by Montgomery at 1 p.m. July 17. He’s been out on pretrial release since his arrest, ordered to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and prohibited from consuming drugs or alcohol.

“We miss our mother so much. We will always remember her by her smile and the love she had for her family and grandchildren,” Contreras said. “We know she will be watching over us always, and we will never forget her.”