A 20-year-old man was ordered held in lieu of $200,000 bail Wednesday for allegedly running away after a crash that left one of his passengers dead and another in critical condition over the weekend.
Rafael A. Paz-Hernandez turned himself into police Monday, the day after prosecutors said he struck an SUV as he drove a friend’s pickup truck through an alley near West 28th Street and South Komensky Avenue, then veered into a post.
The impact sent two men riding in the bed of the truck flying, killing one of them, Assistant State’s Attorney Kristin Estrada said. Paz-Hernandez and an unidentified man riding in the passenger seat took off after Sunday night’s wreck, she said.
The 30-year-old, identified as Oscar Colin of the Northwest Side Irving Park neighborhood, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:13 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of multiple blunt force injuries due to vehicular trauma, and his death was ruled an accident.
A 28-year-old man was taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
Paz-Hernandez told police he had borrowed the blue Dodge Dakota from his sister’s boyfriend, to pick up several friends who had been drinking, and was taking them to a currency exchange on 26th and Pulaski when the accident occurred, authorities said.
Paz-Hernandez was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and leaving the scene of an injury accident.
