Category: DuPage County hit & run

“Hit & Run” crashes continue to be a significant traffic issue. While there are many reasons as to why a motorist would choose to flee the scene of an accident, a common reason is that the driver is driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident and doesn’t want to be responsible for the crash. The driver may think that by fleeing the scene he may be able to “sober up” or otherwise not be tested as impaired if he is later caught.

Other reasons that might lead a driver to leave the accident scene is if the driver has been driving recklessly. Depending upon the characteristics of the crash, the driver – if caught – may face criminal charges and/or be held liable for the accident injuries caused to others.

On this site, various “hit & run” crashes that have occurred in DuPage County – and have involved injuries – are summarized in posts found under the “DuPage County Hit & Run” category. As seen in those posts, these incidents have occurred in various cities, including Lisle, Downers Grove, Burr Ridge, and Naperville. Some of the accidents involve injuries that have led to fatalities.

Another of these “hit & run” crashes occurred in Naperville on Tuesday (February 5, 2019) afternoon. Details on this incident appear limited at this time. The crash happened at approximately 1:00 p.m. in the area of Interstate 88 between Route 59 and Raymond Drive. This incident is discussed in various media sources including the February 5, 2019 abc7chicago.com article titled “Police search for hit-and-run driver in Naperville near I-88 and Route 59” as well as the February 5 Naperville Patch article titled “Hit-And-Run Suspect Sought In Naperville: Cops.”

Additional details and possible updates concerning these DuPage County “hit & run” crashes can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

Drivers choose to leave the scene of an accident for various reasons.  Often, the driver is intoxicated by drugs and/or alcohol, and doesn’t want to face the blame and associated consequences of driving while impaired.  These “hit & run” accidents occur in many instances.

There was a Lisle accident allegedly involving a driver who chose to leave the scene of the accident on Saturday (January 12, 2019) evening. The crash happened at Ogden Avenue and Karns Road.

An excerpt regarding the crash in which the driver allegedly chose to leave the scene of the accident, from the January 14, 2019 Chicago Sun-Times article titled “Man charged with DUI, running from Lisle crash“:

Carlos D. Bravo-Diaz, 19, was driving a vehicle that was involved in a crash at 7:09 p.m. at Ogden Avenue and Karns Road in Lisle, according to a statement from Lisle police. He had been involved in another crash a short time earlier near Naper Boulevard and Ogden in Naperville.

After the Lisle crash, Bravo-Diaz got out of the vehicle and ran away on foot, police said. A witness was able to subdue him and hold him until police arrived.

Another excerpt regarding the crash, from the January 14, 2019 Daily Herald article titled “Police: Naperville man fled scene of DUI crash Saturday“:

Bravo-Diaz is charged with aggravated driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, failure to give aid, driving without a valid license, unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor, driving without insurance and driving in the wrong lane, according to Lisle police.

Lisle police officials said the two people injured were transported to a hospital where they were treated and released.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this Lisle accident where the driver chose to leave the scene of the accident can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

Leaving the scene of an accident occurs for various reasons.  Often, the driver is intoxicated or otherwise impaired, and doesn’t want to face the consequences associated with driving while impaired.  If the accident has caused injuries and/or death, leaving the scene of an accident – often referred to as a “hit & run” – occurs in many instances.

There was a Downers Grove fatal accident allegedly involving a driver leaving the scene of an accident on October 6, 2018.  According to police, at the time of the crash the man was speeding, and the man lost control of the vehicle.  As is often the case where a vehicle leaves the roadway, the car struck a fixed object (a tree.)

An excerpt regarding this DuPage County fatal car crash, from the Downers Grove Patch article of October 11, 2018 titled “DUI Crash Splits Car, Kills Woman In Downers Grove:  Cops“:

A Westmont man is facing felony charges after a collision in Downers Grove that left a woman dead early Saturday. Onecimo Vazquez-Valazquez, 30 , of the 300 block of Naperville Road has been charged with aggravated DUI causing death and leaving the scene of an accident in the collision that killed his passenger, Annajeane Dewey near the intersection of Fairview and 55th.

Police say Vazquez-Valazquez was driving north on Fairview at a “high rate of speed” when he tried to pass a car and lost control of the vehicle he was driving. Vazquez-Valazquez then struck a tree, which caused the car to split in half and kill Dewey on impact.

Additional details regarding this Downers Grove fatal car crash that allegedly involved the driver leaving the scene of an accident can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the article mentioned above as well as the mysuburbanlife.com article of October 12 titled “Westmont man charged in DUI crash that killed passenger, split car in half.”

There was a “hit & run” car accident Saturday (January 20, 2018) in Burr Ridge.  The crash began when one car “sideswiped” another car.

The January 22, 2018 Burr Ridge Patch article (“Woman Injured In Sideswipe Crash On Plainfield Road“) discusses the accident.

An excerpt:

A 45-year-old woman who was driving on Plainfield Road in Burr Ridge on Saturday was hospitalized with minor injuries after her car was sideswiped by a vehicle. The crash victim was in a 2009 Honda vehicle attempting to turn left on Manor Drive at 6:14 p.m. when the unknown vehicle sideswiped her while eastbound on Plainfield.

This initial collision caused the Honda to then collide with another car.

So far the driver of the vehicle that fled the accident scene has not been identified.

While there are many reasons as to why a driver may want to leave the scene of an accident, common reasons include that the driver does not want to accept responsibility for causing a crash.  As well, the driver may be intoxicated by alcohol or may be driving while drug-impaired.  The increased frequency of drug-impaired driving, as well as other aspects of such “drugged driving” is discussed on the “Vehicle Accidents Involving Drivers Under The Influence Of Drugs” page.

Other reasons as to why a driver leaves the scene of an accident is that the driver may be wanted by police for a crime, and thus wants to avoid having to interact with police.

There was a fatal “hit & run” collision late Wednesday night (May 17, 2017) in unincorporated Willowbrook.

According to information provided by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, the collision involved a silver Nissan and another car.  The silver Nissan was heading southbound on Route 83 just before midnight when another vehicle – possibly an older Buick that was red or maroon – pulled out from Mockingbird Lane, and the two vehicles collided.  The red or maroon vehicle then fled the accident scene.

One person in the Nissan died at the accident scene, and four others were injured and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove for treatment of their accident injuries.  The person who died was later identified as Abin Mathew, 26, of Westmont.

Those with information concerning the driver of the red or maroon vehicle that was involved in the crash, or any other information concerning the crash, are asked to call the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office at (630) 407-2400.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this fatal DuPage County “hit & run” accident can be seen in a variety of media sources including the May 18, 2017 Chicago Sun-Times article titled “1 dead, 4 injured in hit-and-run crash near Willowbrook” as well as the May 18 Daily Herald article titled “One dead in hit-and-run crash on Route 83 late Wednesday.”

There was a “hit & run” pedestrian accident Wednesday evening (March 2, 2017) in Lisle.  The accident involved a 62-year-old man was struck by two vehicles.

According to Lisle Police, police responded to the accident scene at 6:08 p.m.  The accident scene was in the 1000 block of Maple Avenue.

The 62-year-old man was found unresponsive and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downer’s Grove for treatment of accident injuries described as “serious injuries.”

An excerpt from the Chicago Sun-Times article of March 2, 2017, titled “Lisle cops search for second SUV in hit-and-run that injured man“:

During an investigation that closed eastbound Maple Avenue for three hours, officers determined that after the man was struck by an initial vehicle, he was then struck by a blue Chevrolet Equinox. The driver of the second vehicle did not stop or report the accident.

Those with information concerning the crash are asked to contact the Lisle Police Department at (630) 271-4200.

Additional details and possible updates can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the Chicago Sun-Times article mentioned above as well as the March 2 Naperville Patch article titled “62-Year-Old Hit By Two Vehicles:  Lisle Police.”

Those accidents in which drivers flee the accident scene (i.e. “Hit & Run” accidents) continue to occur in significant numbers throughout the Chicago area.  While there are many reasons that drivers may elect to flee the scene of the accident, one reason is that the driver may fear the repercussions of their actions if they are at fault for causing the accident.  Many times “Hit & Run” drivers are driving while intoxicated (DUI).  Other such drivers may be traveling in a stolen vehicle or otherwise be involved in criminal activity.

Early Saturday morning  (February 4, 2017) there was a Naperville vehicle crash at 2603 S. Washington St.

The crash involved a silver 2009 Chrysler Town & Country minivan that left the roadway and then crashed into a building.

The driver fled the accident scene on foot.  He was later located by Naperville Police, and then taken to Edward Hospital for treatment of his accident injuries, which were considered to be non-life-threatening in nature.

An excerpt from the Positively Naperville article of February 4, 2017, titled “Naperville Police investigate crash on South Washington” discussing the driver, identified as Trenton A. Smith, 25, of Bolingbrook:

Approximately nine minutes prior to this crash, at 1:14AM, a Naperville Police Officer attempted a traffic stop on this same vehicle on south-bound Washington approaching Osler Drive. The driver failed to stop for the officer, increased his speed and fled from the officer, who disengaged and terminated further efforts to stop the vehicle as it fled. The vehicle was last seen disregarding the red traffic signal on south-bound Washington at 75th St.

Smith has been charged with Driving Under the Influence, Driving While License Suspended, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Peace Officer, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Crash, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Improper Lane Usage, Speeding and Disobeying a Red Traffic Signal. He was given a March 7, 2017 court date.

Additional details regarding this DuPage County crash can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the Positively Naperville article mentioned above.