Reckless homicide charges have been filed against the driver of an SUV that struck two pedestrians late Saturday on a busy street in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood near Midway Airport, leaving Guadalupe Chavez Dean dead.
Patrick J. Brazel | Chicago Police
Patrick J. Brazel, 27, has been charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing injuries or death; one count of reckless homicide; one count of aggravated DUI causing a fatal accident; and a misdemeanor count of DUI, according to Chicago Police. He was also cited for failure to take due care for a pedestrian in the roadway.
About 10:45 p.m. Saturday, the 42-year-old Chavez Dean and a 39-year-old man were walking north across Archer Avenue at Lavergne when they were both struck by a red Jeep, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The driver left the scene of the crash, but witnesses got the license number of the Jeep and Brazel was arrested several hours later in the 5800 block of South Rutherford, police said.
Guadalupe Chavez Dean
Chavez Dean, of the 5600 block of West Pershing Road in Cicero, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found she died of multiple injuries from the crash and her death was ruled an accident.
Family members have set up a GoFundMe page to help offset the cost of a funeral.
The man was taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, where his condition was stabilized, police said.
Brazel, who lives in the 5800 block of South Neva, was expected to appear in bond court Tuesday, according to police.
--Chicago Sun-Times Wire