A 21-year-old suburban woman has been charged with a deadly West Side hit-and-run crash that happened early Sunday on an Eisenhower Expressway exit ramp.
Klenshaye Little, of Maywood, was charged with failure to report an accident involving death and four counts of failure to report an accident involving injury—all felonies, according to Chicago Police.
Little appeared Tuesday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse where her bail was set at $50,000.
About 4:30 a.m., the group was in a taxi headed west on Interstate 290when the taxi broke down near the exit ramp for Homan Avenue, Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Williams said.
The taxi’s passengers—27-year-old Anan Ahmed Halbalawi, two 24-year-old men, a 26-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman—were walking up the ramp to call another ride when Little struck all five as she exited the expressway in a 2014 Kia Optima, Williams said. Little stopped after striking the group and briefly returned to the scene before driving off.
Prosecutors said Little did not offer help or call 911, but drove to the first block of South St. Louis where she parked and left her car.
Halbalawi, of Morehead, Kentucky, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. An autopsy Monday found he died of his injuries in the crash and his death was rule an accident.
The others were taken to hospitals, Williams said. Two suffered broken legs, one suffered a concussion and the other was treated for cuts and bruises.
Illinois State Police officers found the bumper of the Kia at the scene of the crash with an attached license plate registered to Little, Williams said. During an interview with investigators, Little admitted she was driving at the time of the crash and was placed into custody about 8:30 a.m. In a second, videotaped interview, Little said she knew that she struck at least one person.
Little’s next court date was scheduled for May 29.
