A motorist charged with reckless murder was driving 75 mph in the wrong lane when he hit a fleeing automobile in the South Loop.
Kendall Sprouts, 18, collided with a Hyundai Sonata executing a U-turn Sunday evening.
Chicago police and prosecutors claimed Keyshawn Javon Gray, 22, drove off after being pulled over. As he attempted to turn around, Sprouts’ Infiniti G37 broadsided him, according to traffic records and footage.
Declared Dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
After the first accident, two parked cars and a Jeep Compass with two teens inside were hit, officials said.
As Sprouts got closer to the Jeep, Gray moved into the next lane to avoid a head-on collision.
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Gray’s Hyundai overturned, and he was declared dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A fair-condition 18-year-old Hyundai passenger was hospitalized. 21-year-old passenger was brought to Stroger Hospital in good condition.
Failed to Decrease Speed
Sprouts, the Jeep driver, a 14-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl were all taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition.
He nearly hit a police officer during a traffic stop. He was cited for speeding and murder.
Sprouts is a former wide receiver for Morgan Park High School and plays football at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, according to his defence attorney, Donna Rotunno.
Rotunno emphasised Sprouts’ lack of a criminal past and claimed he didn’t drink, use drugs, or have tattoos, telling Judge Kelly McCarthy, “He’s not a flight risk; there’s no need to put him in jail.”
“But judge, I believe the state’s argument is lacking that the fleeing automobile is escaping police.”
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McCarthy said Sprouts must pay $2,000 to be released and cannot contact collision victims. The court let him continue his education in Minnesota. Next court date: Dec. 12.