A 20-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly struck four people with his sedan just outside Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday shortly before the White Sox game, leaving all of the victims seriously injured.
According to police, 20-year-old Condelarious Garcia of the 4200 block of South Union Avenue has been charged with four felony counts of aggravated reckless driving and one misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license.
Garcia was issued three other citations for failure to reduce speed, operating an uninsured vehicle and expired registration.
According to Chicago police, the incident took place at 6:22 p.m. in the 300 block of West 35th Street, as fans were entering the game.
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Charles Janczy, one of the victims and a diehard White Sox fan, shared his frightening account in an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago.
"I crossed the street, and next thing I know, I get hit by a car," Janczy told NBC Chicago.
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Janczy said he never remembered seeing a car, and had flown into the vehicle's sunroof headfirst before he could process what had happened.
"I could hear the occupants of the car talking amongst themselves a little bit about the cops all over them. One of them asked me a couple of times I think if I was alright," Janczy said.
Illinois State Police eventually executed a PIT maneuver to halt the suspect's vehicle.
Janczy, an Evanston native and White Sox season ticket holder, could be released from the hospital as early as tomorrow as he recovers from fractured ribs, bruising and swelling.
"I think in a way going through the sunroof thing might have actually been a blessing, because I might have gotten thrown off the car and hit my head," Janczy told NBC Chicago.
Two other victims, a 51-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, both of whom were hit by the vehicle, were taken to area hospitals in critical condition, police said.
A 24-year-old man was also struck, and was transported in fair condition.
According to officials, the driver fled the scene and crashed on the Dan Ryan Expressway near 45th Street. The male driver and three other males in the car, ranging in age from 20 to 25, were taken to a nearby hospital in fair condition, where they remain in police custody, Chicago Police Department Deputy Chief Fred Melean said during a press conference Tuesday.
“It’s highly unusual for how many Sox games have gone on that something like this has occurred,” Melean said, adding that the pedestrians who were struck were on their way to the game.
Melean also said during the press concurrence there was no reason to believe that the incident was targeted, and said police were investigating if the vehicle was stolen.
No further details about investigation were immediately provided. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
