Possible plea coming from DeKalb man accused in deputy’s death, his lawyer says

SYCAMORE – Instead of a jury trial in June, a plea could be coming for a DeKalb man accused of driving under the influence and causing a crash that killed DeKalb County sheriff‘s deputy Christina Musil, his lawyer said Thursday.

John Kopp, Geneva-based defense attorney for Nathan P. Sweeney, 45, told Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick Thursday that his client has decided to forego a trial.

“We anticipate proceeding by way of blind plea,” Kopp said.

That plea could come at the next hearing, which Buick set for 3 p.m. June 18.

Sweeney was charged April 3, 2024, with three counts of DUI of drugs causing death and one count of reckless homicide, all Class 2 felonies.

Prosecutors allege Sweeney had multiple drugs in his system the night of March 28, 2024. They allege Sweeney willingly got behind the wheel of a commercial truck and rear-ended the squad car with Musil inside. Musil, 35, was on patrol at the time. She died from her injuries at a nearby hospital in the early morning hours of March 29, authorities said.

Musil was a mother of three and a military veteran who served in Afghanistan. She recently was memorialized at the annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial in Springfield. To mark one year since her death, DeKalb County Sheriff Andy Sullivan hosted a vigil for her loved ones to show “She will never be forgotten and is missed each day,” he said in March.

Attempts by Sweeney’s lawyer to get his trial moved to a different county, arguing local jurors could be biased, were not successful, court records show.

Sweeney’s criminal history showed a pattern of “erratic driving,” lead prosecutor Scott Schwertley has argued in court.

Schwertley said Thursday that if Sweeney pleads guilty in June, the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office won’t seek to have him placed in police custody until he’s sentenced. The date for sentencing won’t be set until after any plea is entered, however. A blind plea means a verdict is entered without an agreement on sentencing.

If convicted, Sweeney faces between three and 14 years in prison.

Buick said if Sweeney were to plead guilty and remain released pending sentencing, she would order him placed on a GPS monitoring device. Sweeney’s been free on pretrial release since April 8, 2024.

Sweeney was employed at Garzo Tire at the time of the crash, according to court records. Prosecutors allege he was under the influence of drugs when he rear-ended Musil’s car driving a Kenworth commercial truck going 71 mph. He allegedly didn’t apply the truck’s brakes until after the crash, records show.

In January when Buick set a trial date, Kopp asked her to move the proceedings out of DeKalb County, arguing a local jury pool would be tainted, court records show. Kopp argued that significant press attention and the death of a law enforcement officer would make it hard to keep a trial impartial. Buick denied that motion April 15, records show.

On Thursday, Kopp withdrew a Jan. 2. motion asking Buick to prohibit evidence against Sweeney from being used at trial. In that withdrawn court filing, Kopp had argued that statements made the night of the crash and items seized by deputies in a search of Sweeney’s truck were unlawful and shouldn’t be allowed at trial.

Buick asked Sweeney, who appeared in person in a suit and tie, whether he understood the day’s proceedings.

“I do understand,” he said.