On Wednesday afternoon in Courtroom 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center, the parents of 8-year-old Izaiah Lopez finally found some peace after a judge resentenced the man responsible for their small son’s death to six years in prison.
It was a resentencing for 36-year-old Christopher Carrillo after he violated the probation he was given in August of 2022 for a fatal hit-and-run crash in Aurora more than three years earlier that killed the second-grader at Gates Elementary School.
Carrillo in 2022 pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury and driving on a revoked license. In addition to four years probation, Kane County Judge Salvatore LoPiccolo at the time had given him 480 hours of community service and time served for the year he spent in jail.
Which was a “slap on the wrist” to Izaiah’s parents, who became angrier and more frustrated when in March of 2025, Carrillo, driving the same 2007 Ford Fusion that struck their son, was accused of causing another accident on Broadway and Seminary in Aurora after allegedly crossing the center line and striking a moving vehicle and parked car.
Carrillo has been charged with driving on a revoked license and improper lane usage in that case.
In addition, he has been charged with retail theft stemming from an October 2024 incident in Montgomery, officials said.
There should be no more second chances for the defendant, Angelo and Karina Lopez insisted after hearing testimony on Wednesday from Aurora police officers about the 2019 and 2025 crashes, both of which occurred on revoked licenses, and from Carrillo’s probation officer, who told the court Carrillo had completed only 30 hours of his community service, failed to complete an alcohol and drug evaluation and showed no proof of continued treatment for health issues that included PTSD and anxiety.
Also at the Wednesday hearing, a Montgomery police officer gave testimony about the still-pending 2024 case concerning the retail theft of over $2,000 from a Dollar General store in the village.
The defendant’s supporters tried to paint Carrillo as a good person who deserved another chance. His wife told the court he was a loving father, especially to a child with Down syndrome, and that he was truly remorseful, even guilt-ridden, over Izaiah’s death.
Before asking the judge to extend his client’s probation term, Carrillo’s public defender Derek Dlhy brought up Carrillo’s childhood of abuse and neglect, as well as mental health issues.
Kane County Judge David Kliment eventually resentenced Carrillo to six years in state prison.
To only extend his probation would be a “miscarriage of justice,” said Kliment, chastising the defendant for his disregard for the terms of his probation.
While Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Merkel had asked for an eight-year-sentence – for every year of Izaiah’s life – his parents are grateful Carrillo is behind bars, and as Karina noted, are hoping that “Christopher truly thinks about what he’s done, changes his life and learns that driving is a privilege, not a right.”
It has taken a lot of therapy for this family to move on after losing their child. And having to go through so many court proceedings, they insisted, only brought that pain back sharper.
What helped get them through it all was Kane County Victims Advocate Linda Hagemann, and a special bond formed with Carrie Kilpatrick, an advocate with Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, which works with victims of accidents that result in criminal charges whether alcohol is involved or not. As the sentence was handed down on Wednesday, she put her head on Karina Lopez’s shoulder while Hagemann put her arm around Angelo Lopez.
There was no cause to celebrate. But relief could be seen on all their faces.
Izaiah would be 15 now, a freshman at Kaneland High School, likely involved in basketball and baseball and still “my best friend,” says his father, who admits that trying to hang on to those precious memories has in some ways kept him “stuck in 2019.”
It helps Angelo to visit his son’s gravesite and go to the crash site near the intersection of Lake and Plum streets in Aurora “as much as I can,” making sure the area around the memorial cross in honor of Izaiah remains mowed and clear of garbage.
But for the first time since they lost their child, the family is hopeful they can find some sense of happiness again.
“I feel like I can finally breathe,” Karina added. “We can finally feel some peace.”
dcrosby@tribpub.com
