Police said a woman’s blood-alcohol content was more than three times the legal driving limit Saturday night when she crashed her vehicle in Champaign, causing the death of her boyfriend.

Markcus Williams, 33, of Champaign, died as a result of the crash, which occurred at about 11 p.m. Saturday on West Church Street, according to the Champaign Police Department. The driver, Valinda Bender, 32, also of Champaign, was treated at a hospital after the wreck.

Bender faces at least one felony charge that carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. She will require representation from an experienced drunk driving attorney during upcoming court proceedings.

Police said Bender was driving an SUV in the 1500 block of West Church Street at about 11 p.m. Saturday when she lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, causing it to roll over onto its side, according to authorities.

Bender was able to extricate herself from the vehicle before emergency personnel arrived. Her passenger, Williams, however, remained trapped in the SUV’s wreckage, police said.

Williams was transported to an area hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Police said Bender also was taken to a hospital, where a blood test allegedly showed a BAC of 0.298%, more than three times the legal driving limit of 0.08%.

Bender reportedly was released with a citation for driving under the influence. A formal charge of aggravated driving under the influence was issued Tuesday, though it was unclear whether Bender was arrested.

Once booked into jail, she likely will rely on a drunk driving attorney to assist in her defense.

Disclaimer: The Accident News article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.

The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Accident News’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.

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