Four teenagers were killed after their speeding vehicle flew off a Chicago bridge, crashed onto railroad tracks and slammed into a freight train car during a chaotic early-morning escape from police.
The victims, who ranged in age from 14 to 19, were inside the vehicle shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 26, when the deadly crash unfolded on South Cicero Avenue.
Chicago police said officers had received a report that someone inside a vehicle had pointed a gun at another person.
Officers located a vehicle matching the description and attempted to make a traffic stop. The driver refused to pull over, prompting a brief police pursuit that authorities said was quickly called off.
Illinois State Police later spotted the same vehicle and attempted another traffic stop in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue.
The driver initially stopped, but sped away as troopers began investigating, according to Chicago police.
Authorities said the vehicle raced south at a high rate of speed before leaving the roadway near the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue at approximately 2:16 a.m.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed the vehicle careening off the bridge and plunging into the rail yard below, where it struck a stationary train boxcar.
Two male passengers and one female passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.
A second female passenger suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Christ Hospital in critical condition. She was later pronounced dead.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 19-year-old Cristofer Lopez Montan and 18-year-old Yuarem Garcia-Pena, both of Woodstock; 17-year-old Yaritza Martinez Villeda of Crystal Lake; and 14-year-old Vanessa Morales of Palatine.
Vanessa’s family said she had been looking forward to beginning high school and was supposed to attend freshman orientation at Palatine High School on Monday.
“She was so excited,” her father told ABC 7 Chicago in Spanish. “She was going to get her tablet and meet her teachers today.”
Instead, her family was left mourning the teenager after the devastating crash.
No other injuries were reported.
Chicago police are continuing to investigate the original gun allegation, the attempted traffic stops and the circumstances leading up to the fatal crash.
Illinois State Police declined to comment on the incident.
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A 14 year old out with a 19 year old at 2.A.M.
Ghee ; what a tragedy – who would think anything could go wrong with that configuration.
Did the 14 year old have parents?
2. A. M. Really?