A Lincolnwood man who killed a pedestrian in a West Rogers Park crash two years ago will serve no jail time after pleading guilty to reckless homicide by motor vehicle on Thursday, according to court records.
Judge James Novy sentenced Adis Spahija, 21, to 24 months of probation with 400 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty to the charge in connection with the September 2023 crash that killed 33-year-old Michael Valentin.
Prosecutors said Spahija was speeding eastbound on Peterson Avenue in a 2014 Volkswagen Touareg when the traffic signal at California Avenue turned yellow around 7:26 a.m. on September 18, 2023. An 18-year-old woman driving westbound was turning south onto California when Spahija entered the intersection and struck her vehicle, according to a Chicago police report.
Both cars careened onto the sidewalk, where they struck Valentin. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In charging documents, prosecutors alleged Spahija was driving “recklessly” above the speed limit and disobeyed a traffic signal when he entered the intersection. He remained at the scene following the crash and was initially cited for traffic infractions, according to police records. Spahija voluntarily submitted to a DUI test, which came back negative, a crash investigation report showed.
Prosecutors did not file reckless homicide charges against Spahija until nearly six months after the incident.
In addition to probation and community service, Novy ordered Spahija to attend a victim impact panel and comply with other standard probation conditions.
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