Tag Archives: fatal

Police: Pedestrian fatally struck by car on Eisenhower

Jun 7, 2016 | WLSAM Staff
A man was fatally struck by a vehicle Monday night on the Eisenhower Expressway in Maywood. | Network Video Productions

(MAYWOOD) A man was fatally struck by a car Monday night on the Eisenhower Expressway in west suburban Maywood, police said.

He was struck about 10:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-290 near 9th Avenue, according to Illinois State Police.

The man, whose exact age was not known, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office could not immediately confirm the fatality.

The man driving the car was not injured, but was also taken to the hospital as a precaution, police said. No citations or charges have been issued in the crash.

It was not immediately known why the pedestrian was on the expressway as Illinois State Police investigate.

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Two Separate Fatal Metra Pedestrian Incidents over the Weekend

May 16, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(PALATINE) A man was fatally struck by a train headed for Chicago Friday night in northwest suburban Palatine.

The 24-year-old man was struck about 9:30 p.m. on Friday night by an inbound Union Pacific/Northwest Line train at Hicks Road, about halfway between the Palatine and Arlington Park stations, according to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis and Palatine police.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed the fatality, but withheld the man’s identity Sunday evening pending notification of his family.

Trains in both directions were temporarily stopped Friday night.

The following day, a man was killed when an inbound Metra train on the Rock Island District line struck a vehicle Sunday evening in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the Far South Side.

Inbound train No. 126 struck the vehicle just before 7:14 p.m. near 119th Street, according to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis.

A man, whose exact age was not known, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Chicago Police and fire officials. The Cook County medical examiner’s office could not immediately confirm the death.

Train No. 126 was on the move again as of 8:45 p.m. Outbound train No. 327 scheduled to arrive in Joliet at 8:50 was canceled. Riders will be accommodated by train No. 127, scheduled to arrive in Joliet at 9:50 p.m.

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Edited by WLS-AM 890

CPS teacher killed in Tri-State crash in Des Plaines

Apr 30, 2016 | WLSAM Staff
Jeffery Komada | Provided photo

(DES PLAINES) A Northwest Side high school teacher was killed in a four-vehicle crash Saturday morning on the Tri-State Tollway in northwest suburban Des Plaines.

Jeffery R. Komada, 54, was the director of the technology department at Taft High School, 6350 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Principal Mark Grishaber said.

Shortly after 10 a.m., a Ford minivan stalled out in the middle lane of traffic on southbound I-294 at mile post 41-1/2 between Touhy and Devon Avenues, according to Illinois State Police.

Komada was at the wheel of a Honda SUV that then rear-ended the Ford, before a Volkswagen slammed into the back of his vehicle, state police said.

Komada, a Des Plaines resident, helped a 38-year-old woman and a 4-year-old girl from the Volkswagen get into the back of his vehicle to move them over to the shoulder, authorities said.

He was standing outside when a Peterbuilt semi hit him, the Honda and Volkswagen, authorities said. He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he later died.

“[He] was an esteemed colleague and he was a friend to everyone in the building,” Grishaber said of Komada, who was named an “Educator of the Year” at Taft in 2015. “He was one of the kindest people I have ever met. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

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Schaumburg woman charged with giving daughter fatal overdose

Jun 5, 2015 | WLS-AM Staff

(SCHAUMBURG) A northwest suburban woman has been charged with murder for forcing her daughter to take a fatal overdose of various drugs last month at their Schaumburg home, according to police.

Bonnie R. Liltz, 55, is charged with first-degree murder, according to a statement from Schaumburg police.

Authorities were called about a medical emergency about 3:15 p.m. May 27 at Liltz’s home in the 1100 block of South Springinsguth Road, police said. Paramedics and officers were met by someone who had come to the house to check on the residents after they couldn’t be reached by phone.

Bonnie Liltz and her daughter, 28-year-old Courtney Liltz, were found unconscious in their beds, and officers found evidence of apparent overdoses of various medications, police said. Both women were taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.

Further investigation indicated that Bonnie Liltz tried to end her daughter’s life and then commit suicide, according to police.

Courtney Liltz never regained consciousness, police said. She was pronounced brain-dead at Alexian Brothers Medical Center at 6:43 p.m. June 1, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. She was removed from life support early Friday morning.

Bonnie Liltz was charged after being released from medical treatment on Thursday, police said. She was expected to appear in bond court in Rolling Meadows on Friday afternoon.

© Copyright 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Teen convicted of fatal drag race back in custody after failing to show for jail

May 8, 2015 | WLSAM Staff

(WAUKEGAN) A north suburban teen, sentenced to periodic imprisonment for his role in a fatal street-racing crash, is back in custody after failing to appear for a court hearing and a weekend in jail, according to police.

Jeremy A. Betancourt, 19, of Antioch failed to show up in court April 29 for a probation revocation hearing, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office. A $250,000 failure to appear warrant was issued at the time.

Then on April 3 a $1 million escape warrant was issued after Betancourt failed to return to the Lake County Jail Work Release program to serve part of his periodic imprisonment, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Marshals found and arrested him about 1:40 pm Thursday at a relative’s house in the 2600 block of West 36th Street in Chicago, according to police.

He was returned to the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in bond court at 9 a.m. Friday.

In June 2014, Betancourt was sentenced to 30 months periodic imprisonment and four years intensive probation for his role in a crash that killed Antioch High student Cynthia Perez, who was 16 at the time.

He is to be held in the jail and only released for school and treatment.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence of marijuana resulting in death, and under a plea deal, charges of aggravated street racing and reckless homicide were dropped.

The crash happened June 24, 2013, on Route 120, just east of Hunt Club Road near Gages Lake, while Betancourt was street racing with another car. Perez, a passenger in Betancourt’s car, was ejected and died at the scene.

The other driver, Michael R. Dawson, then 19, of Antioch, pleaded guilty to aggravated street racing in 2013 and was sentenced to 30 months of intensive probation and 18 months of periodic imprisonment.

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UPDATE: Police: Man killed, 2 injured in Stevenson Expressway crash

Apr 29, 2015 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) A man was killed and two others were injured Wednesday morning in a three-vehicle crash on the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) in the South Side Bridgeport neighborhood, authorities said.

Two SUVs and a car collided about 5:45 a.m. in the inbound lanes of I-55 near Throop Street, according to Illinois State Police.

A man, whose exact age was not known, was taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and Fire Media Affairs spokesman Joe Roccasalva. The Cook County medical examiners’ office could not immediately confirm the fatality.

Another person injured in the crash was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Stroger Hospital, Roccasalva said. A third person was taken in fair-to-serious condition to Mercy Hospital.

Three northbound lanes of the expressway were closed to traffic, but were reopened by 8:20 a.m., according to police.

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