Teen charged in fatal Elk Grove Village crash – NBC Chicago

A teenager faces several charges, including reckless homicide, after a two-vehicle crash last month in Elk Grove Village left one person killed and four others injured.

The crash occurred at 11:22 p.m. on May 29 near Biesterfield and Meacham roads, according to the Elk Grove Village Police Department. An investigation revealed that a northbound Lexus ran a red light at the intersection and struck a Honda SUV.

The Honda, which was heading east, had a green light, police said.

The sole occupant of the Honda was transported to a nearby hospital and was pronounced deceased, police said. The victim was later identified by her family as Andrea Garcia, 45, of Des Plaines.

According to family members, Garcia, a mother of five children ranging in age from four to 27, was on her way home from work when the accident occurred.

Four occupants of the Lexus – three juveniles and one adult – were transported to nearby hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. They were treated and then released.

On Monday, Elk Grove Village police released an update on the case, saying the driver of the Lexus, a juvenile, had been arrested. The teen faces five charges, including aggravated speeding, disobeying a traffic signal, illegally concealing his registration and no headlights, police said.

The driver also faces a charge of reckless homicide, which is a class 3 felony.

After the crash, photos and videos from the scene showed two heavily damaged vehicles with deployed airbags. Debris from car parts and objects inside the vehicles could be seen strewn across the roadway.

In one photo, a mangled tree and a downed lamp post could be seen near the damaged Honda.

Hours after the accident, several teenagers arrived on the scene and indicated that the people involved in the accident may have been friends of theirs.

“I came to the scene because I saw him on one of my friend's Snapchat stories and I believe he was involved,” one said. “It’s really horrible to see cars like this, destroyed.”

Last month, Garcia's family members erected a shrine in his Des Plaines apartment to honor his life.

No further details about the investigation were provided by police.