CHICAGO — A man who allegedly crashed while speeding across Chicago surface streets at up to 120 mph, killing his female passenger, has been jailed to await trial.
Illinois State Police troopers began following a white Chrysler 300 speeding down the Dan Ryan Expressway around 10:30 p.m. last Thursday, December 7, a CPD arrest report said. When the car exited at 63rd Street and ran a red light, they pulled back, but a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter kept following it from above.
Officials said that troopers spotted the car occasionally and determined it was traveling between 59 mph and 120 mph on streets. According to the arrest report, the driver disregarded red lights, weaved in and out of traffic, and drove into oncoming traffic.
State troopers engaged the car again, then terminated their efforts when the driver sped at 77 mph in a 30 mph zone and then ran a stop sign at 81st and St. Louis, the report said.
Moments later, as the federal helicopter’s crew watched from above, the Chrysler slammed into a pickup truck at the intersection of Francisco Avenue and 71st Street.
Officials said troopers found 18-year-old Sharron Murray behind the wheel of the Chrysler and 19-year-old Nasiah Harris in the front passenger seat. Murray and Harris were transported to Christ Hospital. He was treated and released, but Harris succumbed to her injuries, a CPD arrest report said.
The Chrysler was not stolen, but police said they found a gun inside it after the crash, but Murray is not charged with possessing the weapon.
Prosecutors did charge him with reckless homicide, though. Judge Susana Ortiz detained him at the state’s request. He is due in court again on December 20.
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