Chicago Police

Video Shows Driver Moments After Fiery Fatal Crash, Witnesses Say

Alejandra Damian, 21, a DePaul University student from Joliet, died in the accident.

A driver went missing after a high-speed crash killed a woman and shut down the Ontario feeder ramp to the Kennedy Expressway early Monday morning, police said. Now, two witnesses say they stopped to help after the crash and captured who they say the driver was on cellphone video before he fled.

According to authorities, a 2009 Nissan Coupe was traveling at a high rate of speed around 1:30 a.m. in the 400 block of West Ontario when it hit a utility pole. The impact caused the car to spin out and burst into flames, police said.

Alejandra Damian, 21, a DePaul University student from Joliet, died in the accident.

"We're hear because we want justice for our daughter," said Lourdes Damian, the Alejandra's mother. "I want justice for my daughter, we want the name of who she was traveling with.

Alejandra’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help for her funeral expenses.

Two witnesses, who asked that their names not be used out concerns for their safety, provided cellphone video to NBC 5 of the moments after the fatal crash. They say the video shows the driver climb from the wrecked and burning car. The two men can be heard on video asking the alleged driver if there was anyone else in the car. They told NBC 5 in an interview they asked him at least six times.

The driver fled the scene on foot and a woman in her 20s was later removed by first responders and pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago police said in a statement.

Video from another witness who heard the crash shows the burning vehicle split in two as firefighters arrived at the scene. Officers at the scene placed evidence markers along a trail of blood that went west down Ontario.

The crash remained under investigation by the Chicago Police Major Accidents Unit early Monday morning.

The ramp to the expressway was expected to remain closed for several hours after the crash and throughout the morning rush hour.

Witnesses tell NBC 5 they saw the driver head westbound as they called police.

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