Delayed report causes continuance in case against Quincy man charged in fatal Memorial Day crash

QUINCY — A status hearing for a Quincy man charged in a fatal Memorial Day crash was continued Tuesday because a report from an expert witness is incomplete.

Breeden Wike, 21, appeared Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court with public defender Todd Nelson. Wike faces felony charges of reckless homicide and aggravated reckless driving, as well as several traffic violations, following a May 30 crash at 12th and Locust that resulted in the death of Kayla Smith of Quincy. 

Reckless homicide is a Class 3 felony, punishable for between two and five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Aggravated reckless driving is a Class 4 felony, punishable for between one and three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

During a motion hearing Aug. 19, Nelson asked for money to pay for an expert witness. Judge Amy Lannerd approved up to $2,500.

Nelson said Tuesday he anticipates receiving the report from the witness, who he did not name, by the end of this week.

“There were some hiccups in the process, because the expert who we have been speaking with was engaged in changing employment,” Nelson explained. “There were some contractual matters that we had to deal with.”

Lannerd continued the hearing to Tuesday, Nov. 1.