Fritts bench trial in his brother’s traffic death moved to Aug. 4

OTTAWA – Friday’s bench trial in the death of former Lee County Treasurer John Fritts, killed June 20, 2022, in a crash in rural La Salle County near Earlville, was moved to Aug. 4.

David T. Fritts, a Dixon school board member and John’s younger brother, is charged with disregarding a stop sign.

No reason was provided for rescheduling in the court record.

John Fritts, 76, of Dixon, was the campaign manager for his cousin, GOP Rep. Bradley J. Fritts, who won the 74th District seat in a race against outgoing Dixon Mayor Li Arellano Jr.

Bradley Fritts and other family members also were in the SUV.

The crash happened about 3:30 p.m. at U.S. Route 34 and East 1251st/Ottawa Road, when the southbound SUV driven by David Fritts failed to stop at the stop sign and was struck by a passenger car, La Salle County Coroner Richard Ploch said at the time.

John and Bradley Fritts were thrown from the SUV. John died at the scene.

Bradley Fritts and his mother, Nancy L. Fritts, sustained minor injuries. No one else was injured, Ploch said.

David Fritts also is a former public defender who retired as a 15th Judicial Circuit judge in 2006. John Fritts was county treasurer for 24 years, starting in 1994, and served on the Lee County Board before that.