George Evans / Photo from Chicago Police
MATT McCALL
Homicide Watch Chicago
After running over a woman Sunday night in the Chatham, the motorist was seen laughing on a cell phone as he stood over her body, prosecutors said.
George Evans, 23, was charged with one count of felony reckless homicide with a motor vehicle for the crash in the 8700 block of South Lafayette Avenue, police said.
Evans was driving in a rented Volkswagon with his cousin and his cousin’s young children as passengers, Assistant States Attorney Akash Vyas said.
When he stopped at a gas station near 79th and State streets, one of the children woke up and said she needed to use the restroom. Evans said he would get them home, and drove onto the Dan Ryan Expressway, Vyas said.
Evans sped through a stoplight at 87th Street and Lafayette Avenue and struck a woman while driving nearly 90 mph, Vyas said.
The impact catapulted the woman about 100 feet and shattered the window of the Volkswagon, prosecutors said.
After the crash, Evans was captured on a cell phone video standing over the woman’s body, laughing as he talked about being in a crash the previous week, Vyas said.
When police arrived, Evans was sitting in the driver’s seat of the Volkswagon and admitted to the crash, Vyas said. He refused alcohol and drug testing, prosecutors said.
He told police he was only driving the rental vehicle because he had been in a crash a week earlier and his car had been totaled, Vyas said.
The woman’s remains unidentified, and fingerprint analysis is being conducted to determine her identity, authorities said.
Evans and his passengers were taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital for treatment, police said.
In addition to the reckless homicide charge, he was also cited for failing to reduce speed, not yielding to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and disobeying a red light, police said.
Judge Laura Sullivan ordered him on $250,000 bond and scheduled his next court date for May 18.