Driver crashed at 80 mph near UIC campus, left passenger to die in wreckage: prosecutors

Prosecutors say a 29-year-old man crashed right into a median at 80 mph close to the College of Illinois Chicago campus after which ran away, leaving his feminine passenger to undergo within the wreckage for half-hour earlier than she was found and later pronounced lifeless.

Hamid Popal, 29, was ordered detained by Choose Deidre Dyer on a cost of leaving the scene of a deadly accident, based on court docket information.

Authorities mentioned Popal and Lilia Perez had been in a quick courting relationship on the time of the September 7 crash, and Perez had celebrated her twenty fourth birthday earlier within the week.

In keeping with a detention submitting, Popal rented a 2016 Lincoln MKZ and drove it to a membership within the 1400 block of West Lake Road in the course of the early morning hours of September 7. Surveillance video allegedly confirmed Popal parking the automobile and scanning his identification to enter the membership. Perez arrived a short while later.

Video additionally confirmed the pair leaving the membership collectively round 4:30 a.m. and strolling again to the Lincoln, based on the detention submitting. Popal acquired behind the wheel, and Perez entered the entrance passenger seat, prosecutors mentioned.

Simply earlier than 5:30 a.m., Popal was driving east within the 1100 block of West Congress Parkway at 80 mph in a 5 mph zone when he slammed head-on right into a median throughout from a UIC parking construction, prosecutors claimed. The influence deployed the entrance and facet airbags and tore off a big portion of the entrance bumper, based on the submitting.

About 3 minutes after the crash, Popal exited the motive force’s seat, walked to the passenger facet, and eliminated a liquor bottle, which he threw over the median, prosecutors mentioned, citing video footage. Popal allegedly continued to look the entrance passenger space whereas Perez was nonetheless seated there, gravely injured.

Throughout that point, one other automobile pulled up and the motive force acquired out to test on the occupants, prosecutors mentioned. Popal allegedly gave a thumbs-up gesture, indicating every thing was nice, and the motive force returned to her automobile and left the scene.

Popal then went again to the Lincoln, continued looking inside, eliminated a backpack from the again seat, and fled on foot, based on prosecutors.

Perez remained within the entrance passenger seat, critically injured and alone, till a UIC safety guard found the crashed automobile about half-hour later. She was taken to a hospital, the place she was pronounced lifeless.

Prosecutors mentioned Popal was on court docket supervision for DUI on the time of the crash and stays on supervision. They mentioned he has been concerned in three visitors crashes inflicting property harm since 2017 and two crashes involving private harm since 2022.

Choose Deidre Dyer agreed with prosecutors that Popal posed a hazard to the general public and ordered him detained whereas the case proceeds.