A Chicago man who prosecutors said was under the influence of PCP when he ran a red light, slammed into another vehicle, and then plowed into a CTA bus stop, leaving two people with catastrophic injuries, has been sentenced to four years in prison, court records show.
Michael Zoumah, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm in exchange for the sentence from Judge Sophia Atcherson. By law, he must serve 85% of his prison term.
The crash happened on August 26, 2022, at 63rd Street and Halsted. Prosecutors said Zoumah was driving a GMC Envoy eastbound on 63rd Street when he sped through a red light and struck another vehicle that was traveling through the intersection on Halsted.
The impact sent Zoumah’s SUV onto the sidewalk, where it crashed into a CTA bus stop. A 54-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man who were sitting at the shelter were struck, officials said. A third person who ran from the crash scene was hit by flying debris, according to a Chicago police report.
The woman suffered such severe injuries that doctors amputated both of her legs below the knees, prosecutors said in a detention petition. The man suffered a broken leg, a broken pelvis, and lost seven toes.
Zoumah was also taken to a hospital for treatment. Testing of a DUI kit and biological samples collected there took years to complete. The results showed Zoumah was under the influence of PCP and also had THC metabolites in his system, according to court filings. Prosecutors also said he was driving without a valid license.
On the night of the crash, CBS2 reported that seven people, including two children, were injured. However, court filings mention only four injured people: Zoumah, the two victims at the bus stop, and the person struck by debris. The records do not account for anyone who may have been inside the vehicle Zoumah allegedly hit.
With credit for time spent in jail and on electronic monitoring, Zoumah is expected to be released on parole in September 2027.
