A Calumet Heights man has been charged with felony reckless homicide for his role in a fatal crash February in West Garfield Park.
The crash happened just before noon Feb. 5 in the 3800 block of West Lake Street, Chicago police said.
Mackelin Moore, 45, had picked up two passengers in his 2009 Ford Focus earlier that morning when he pulled out of a liquor store parking lot on Madison Street and cut in front of an unmarked police SUV, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. When police activated their emergency equipment and tried to pull him over, Moore, who had an outstanding warrant for aggravated DUI, allegedly fled.
Moore was driving about 75 mph on Hamlin Avenue when he blew through a red light at Lake Street, hitting a CTA pillar and then a Dodge Journey, prosecutors said. His back seat passenger, 77-year-old Rick Island, died from injuries to his chest and neck.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled his death an accident. At the time of the crash, the medical examiner’s office said Island was 54 years old.
Moore’s front seat passenger, a woman who had previously bought drugs from Moore, was hospitalized for two weeks with multiple fractures and a partially amputated ear, prosecutors said. Moore himself had to undergo surgery for a torn aorta, while the driver of the Dodge was treated for a dislocated shoulder.
Moore was taken into custody Wednesday and ordered held without bail, according to Cook County court records. He is due back in court May 13.