A Hobart, Indiana, man who allegedly crashed into another car after speeding through a red light in Edgewater, killing one of his passengers and injuring two others, is facing misdemeanor charges and traffic tickets, according to Chicago police.
Steven Martinez, 19, was driving a black Volkswagen Jetta northbound in the 5700 block of North Broadway with two passengers when he ran a red light around 11:48 p.m. Thursday, according to a CPD crash report. A witness told officers that the Volkswagen’s driver ran a red light and hit the back of an SUV that was crossing into the intersection, the report said.
Chicago police said his car was “traveling at a high rate of speed” when it collided with the other vehicle and crashed into parked cars.
One of the Volkswagen’s passengers, James Camacho, 20, also of Hobart, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 24-year-old man from Portage, Indiana, was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in good condition.
Martinez allegedly resisted officers who tried to arrest him. According to police, he and the 51-year-old male driver of the SUV were both treated for minor injuries at local hospitals.
Martinez was charged with reckless driving and two counts of resisting police, according to a Chicago police spokesperson. He was cited for exceeding the speed limit by 21 to 25 mph, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, failing to reduce speed, and failing to yield. On Friday afternoon, he was released from police custody on his own recognizance.
CPD did not have a mugshot available for Martinez.
