Woman charged with driving on drugs in fatal Chicago Heights crash

A woman has been charged with reckless homicide and DUI for a crash that killed a pedestrian Wednesday afternoon in south suburban Chicago Heights.

Rical P. Thomas, 47, was driving the Honda CR-V that fatally struck 30-year-old Cordell Williams, according to a statement from Chicago Heights police. Thomas, of Richton Park, has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence of drugs causing death.

Officers were called about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday for reports of the crash in the 300 block of Chicago Road, police said. They arrived to find the Honda rolled onto its driver’s side with front-end and driver’s-side damage.

Williams, who lived in University Park, had been walking south along the west side of Chicago Road when the Honda hit him, police said. He was taken to St. James Health in Chicago Heights, where he was pronounced dead at 3:08 p.m.

An autopsy Thursday found Williams died of multiple injuries as a result of being struck by a vehicle and his death was ruled an accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Thomas and a juvenile passenger from the SUV were also treated at St. James, police said.