A Jackson County Court judge E. Dan Kimmel is awaiting toxicology results before proceeding with the trial of an expelled student charged with driving under the influence and failure to avoid an accident.
Scott Toomsen, a 38-year-old former SIUC student, attended his third and final pretrial hearing Monday for charges stemming from a vehicle collision with Director of Disability Support Services Kathleen Plesko on June 19.
According to police reports, cocaine was found in Toomsen's system while he was treated for injuries at Carbondale Memorial Hospital. Toomsen argued the result was a false positive from the Fioricet, Lorzapan and Vicoden he said were prescribed to him for severe brain trauma.
After Monday's pretrial, Toomsen said the court should obtain the results within a week or two, in time for the Dec. 1 trial date.
The people
Toomsen - A former SIUC student who, during his first enrollment at the university in 2006, filed a complaint stating a professor mistreated him because he was bipolar. Toomsen said he worked closely with Plesko and the Disability Support Services staff when he enrolled again because administrators did nothing to remedy his problem with the professor.
Plesko - She was involved in a disturbance allegedly started by Toomsen at Woody Hall June 17. Two days later, her car was struck from behind by Toomsen's vehicle after she left work. Plesko said she was concerned Toomsen hit her intentionally, according to police reports.
Blake Quinn - Quinn, a Carbondale police officer, arrested Toomsen after the June 19 collision. According to police reports, Quinn described Toomsen's speech as slurred, which Toomsen said was because of the medication he was on for his brain trauma. The report also described Toomsen as distraught when he learned the person in the car was Plesko, about whom Toomsen said he cared about too much to hurt intentionally.
The collision
On June 19, Toomsen collided into the back of Plesko's car at the intersection of South Illinois Avenue and Pleasant Hill Road. According to police reports, Toomsen said he was headed to a friend's house and was going to stop at Huck's for cigarettes. He said the car in front of him stopped suddenly and he slammed on the brakes but could not avoid the accident.
Two days before, Toomsen allegedly caused a disturbance in Woody Hall by the Disability Support Services offices. SIUC police responded to the incident and allowed Toomsen to leave on his own. Toomsen said the officers who responded to the incident accused him of being intoxicated.
The university expelled Toomsen June 24 after Student Judicial Affairs held an open hearing.
The future
The verdict on charges of driving under the influence and failure to avoid an accident is scheduled for the Dec. 1 trial. Toomsen has also said he wishes to return to the university in the future.
Jeff Engelhardt can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 268 or jengel@siu.edu.
