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KANE COUNTY, Ill. - A suburban Chicago man is facing felony charges after prosecutors say he was speeding in a BMW taken from his workplace when he crashed into another vehicle, killing an elderly couple from Geneva last year.
Charles T. Rodgers, 20, of St. Charles, has been charged with two counts of reckless homicide, along with unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, aggravated reckless driving, and misdemeanor speeding.
The backstory:
Prosecutors said the crash happened around 1:40 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2025, at the intersection of Bricher Road and Fisher Drive in Geneva.
A 2005 Toyota Corolla, driven by 85-year-old Dennis White, was turning west onto Bricher Road from Fisher Drive when it was struck by a black BMW X3 traveling eastbound on Bricher.
White and his wife, 88-year-old Ritsuko White, died from their injuries.
According to prosecutors, Rodgers was driving the BMW with three passengers. He was not authorized to have the vehicle and had taken it from a St. Charles Chrysler Dodge dealership where he worked.
Charles T. Rodgers
Prosecutors said Rodgers initially stopped on Bricher Road, then accelerated rapidly in the 45 mph zone, reaching a top speed of 119 mph just moments before the crash. Instead of braking, he allegedly tried to steer around the Corolla but struck it head-on.
The impact sent the BMW into a wooded area, where it caught fire. Two of the passengers suffered fractures, while a third was treated and released at the scene.
What's next:
Rodgers appeared in court Friday when a judge denied prosecutors’ request to keep him in custody.
He was ordered released on electronic home monitoring with certain conditions, including not driving any vehicle and not contacting the three other victims who were with him during the crash.
Rodgers is due back in court on May 20.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.