A family is in shock and disbelief after a man repeatedly hit a 55-year-old woman with an SUV, killing her and injuring her daughter.
Zoraleigh Ryan and her daughter Shannon were visiting family in Chicago over the weekend. They attended a baby shower for another member of their family, and celebrated Shannon’s birthday at a River North steakhouse.
“The fact that another life is coming into this world, of course she’s going to Chicago just for that,” Ryan Logue, Ryan’s son, said.
According to police, the women were crossing Hubbard at State Street when an SUV, which prosecutors was driven by Edgar Roman, sped toward them and hit them. According to a proffer released Wednesday, Roman got out of the vehicle, looked at the women from just 10 feet away, got back in the vehicle, circled the block and hit them again.
This time Zoraleigh Ryan was dragged down the block, according to police. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
“My mom was such a peacekeeper,” Logue said. “She only wanted what’s best for her children and grandchildren.”
Now, her family is left stunned and wondering what could have possibly motivated the driver of the vehicle to repeatedly hit the women in a heinous act of violence.
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“This was a legitimate act of violence,” Logue said. “Then he turned around and tried to finish the job. It was so violent and demonic.”
According to Ryan’s daughter-in-law Stephanie Logue, a bystander was able to rescue Shannon from the street to keep her from being hit again, but they weren’t able to get to Ryan to save her.
“Now my only grandmother’s gone,” Angelina Adams, her granddaughter, said. “Because people want to be dumb.”
Roman eventually turned himself into police, originally claiming he had been carjacked. During interrogation, he admitted that he was the one driving, but he has not indicated what motivated him to commit the act.
On Wednesday night, Roman remains in prison, facing felony charges including first degree murder.
