$400K bond for man charged with DUI in NW Side crash that killed pedestrian

A man facing multiple DUI charges in connection with a Northwest Side crash that left a pedestrian dead Tuesday evening was ordered held on a $400,000 bond on Thursday.

Maciej Machniewicz, 45, was driving south on Austin about 6:40 p.m. before “abruptly” turning eastbound onto Belmont, according to a statement from Chicago Police.

In the process, the vehicle he was driving hit another southbound vehicle and forced it to crash into a third vehicle, police said.

The vehicle Machniewicz was driving then hit a traffic box, a light pole, a fence and a pedestrian before coming to a rest, police said.

The pedestrian, 62-year-old Lida Xhelo, of the 6000 lock of West Eddy, was taken to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 7:03 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Wednesday found she died of multiple injuries from an automobile striking a pedestrian and ruled her death an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.

Machniewicz, of the 4400 block of West Barry, is charged with a felony count of aggravated DUI causing a fatal accident, two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and a misdemeanor count of driving when he had never been issued a driver’s license, police said. He was also issued multiple traffic citations.

A judge ordered Machniewicz held on a $400,000 bond on Thursday, according to court records. He is next due in court Nov. 24.