A man has been charged with murder for the death of a woman killed in a crash with a Chicago police squad car in Lake View Wednesday while he led police on a chase across the city.
A man has been charged with murder for the death of a woman killed in a crash with a Chicago police squad car in Lake View Wednesday while he led police on a chase across the city.
Marcel Oliver, 22, is charged with one felony count each of first degree murder, vehicular hijacking, possessing a stolen vehicle and failure to report an accident causing injury, Chicago police said. He also faces three felony counts of aggravated fleeing causing injury.
Oliver, who lives in Fernwood, was driving a dark-colored Jeep about 8:15 p.m. near 115th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue when officers noticed it was possibly wanted for several crimes in the nearby suburbs, police said. They tried to curb the Jeep in the 9400 block of South Union Avenue, but it took off and led police on a chase into Irving Park on the Northwest Side.
He crashed the Jeep near Irving Park Road and Keystone Avenue and ran to a nearby gas station, where he stole an idling 2016 Nissan SUV at 9:54 p.m., police said. He left the gas station and took off east on Irving Park Road with police in pursuit.
While chasing the Nissan with their sirens activated, a marked squad car slammed into a Ford Explorer traveling north on Ashland Avenue, police said. The driver, a 37-year-old woman, was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she died.
She was identified as Guadalupe Francisco-Martinez, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy confirmed she died of her injuries and ruled her death an accident.
The squad car spun out and and hit a Hummer stopped at the red light, police said. The Hummer’s driver, a 62-year-old man, and two passengers, a 29- and 44-year-old woman, were all taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition.
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Two officers were injured in the crash as well and are in fair condition, police said.
Oliver drove the stolen Nissan back to the South Side before crashing into a pole in Bridgeport, police said. He tried to run from the scene but was taken into custody at 10:13 p.m. in the 800 block of West Pershing Road. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition.
Illinois State Police said the Jeep was wanted in connection with at least one homicide.
Area Three detectives and the CPD Major Accidents Unit are investigating.
