A 17-year-old who sped away from Chicago police in a newly-hijacked SUV and then slammed into Dominga Flores’ car, killing her, was awaiting trial for a felony gun case, prosecutors said Friday. One of his passengers was on parole, on bail for a felony gun case, and had three active warrants. His other two passengers, both juveniles, are charged with having guns in the wrecked SUV.
Juan Vazquez, the driver, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated fleeing. He is the 43rd person accused of killing or shooting—or attempting to kill or shoot—someone in Chicago while awaiting trial for a felony this year. The alleged crimes involved at least 80 victims, 19 of whom died.
The Honda HR-V that Vazquez and his friends were riding in had been carjacked about 90 minutes earlier in the 3400 block of South Claremont, prosecutor Anne McCord-Rodgers said. It was traveling with a white Honda Civic that was also newly carjacked when Chicago police spotted the vehicles in traffic. The cops tried to pull them over after the HR-V ran a stop sign.
But the HR-V’s driver sped away from the cops, whose lights and siren were activated, and led them on an 11-mile chase at speeds of up to 95 mph on the city’s Southwest Side, McCord-Rodgers said. The driver sped on the wrong side of the road, ran at least three red lights, and nearly hit a pedestrian who was walking a dog.
The cops slowed down on 31st Street, and the HRV was a block ahead of them when it ran a red light and collided with Flores’ car at Kedzie Avenue, McCord-Rodgers explained. Flores, a 55-year-old mother, was the sole occupant of her vehicle.
Vazquez and his front-seat passenger fled the scene but were apprehended by police, according to McCord-Rodgers. His two rear-seat passengers, trapped in the wreckage, were also arrested.
One of the backseat passengers, Enrique Angeles, 22, is on parole for felony theft. He’s charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass to a vehicle for allegedly being in the hijacked SUV. Prosecutors said he was on bail for a felony gun charge in Chicago and had three outstanding warrants. His background includes a 2017 juvenile conviction, also for gun possession. The Illinois Department of Corrections is reviewing his parole status.
A 15-year-old boy who was in the car is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and criminal trespass to a vehicle. The fourth occupant, a 17-year-old boy, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possessing a stolen vehicle, and two misdemeanors.
Vazquez, who allegedly ditched a ski mask as he ran from the crash scene, is a high school senior and has participated in a mentoring program for two years, according to his defense attorney.
Prosecutors did not charge anyone in the SUV with participating in the carjacking.
Judge Maryam Ahmad held Vazquez without bail at the state’s request.
The “not horrible” series
This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.
The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has brought charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data.
CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings.
Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets.
Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com
