A person of interest turned themselves in after a GrubHub delivery driver allegedly ran over a woman during an argument outside a Lake View East restaurant.
The woman, 24-year-old Bijan Choya Early, suffered multiple broken bones and will have to undergo a nine-hour surgery to treat her injuries, according to her mother, Angenita Tanner, who owns Ms. T’s Southern Fried Chicken.
Shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, police were called to the restaurant at 3343 N. Broadway St. after the delivery driver kicked the restaurant’s front door when he was asked to wait outside for his order, according to Tanner, who said she was trying to enforce social distancing guidelines.
Early and Tanner were attempting to prevent the driver from leaving before police arrived and were standing in front of his car when the driver suddenly hit the gas and drove over Early.
In videos that were shared with the Sun-Times by Tanner, both women can be seen standing near the car and talking with the man.
Tanner, while talking to the driver, accuses him of threatening to run her over, leading to an exchange of words with the driver as they tell him the police have been called.
“You just kicked our door,” Early says in the video. “This is too much disrespect that we get on a day-to-day. We’re just trying to be essential workers and feed people. This is ridiculous.”
As Tanner tells the driver again that police have been called, he suddenly accelerates and Early can be seen being carried on top of the car’s hood before she falls under the wheels and is run over.
Police said the driver continued driving on Broadway and did not stop after striking Early.
A person turned themselves into police regarding the incident, police said Sunday morning. Charges are pending.
Tanner said they were attempting to take a photo of the car’s license plate number so they could report him to GrubHub when he struck Early, causing her to suffer broken arms and legs and a broken pelvis.
Early was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment, authorities said, where her condition was stabilized.
Tanner said her daughter remains sedated and hooked up to a machine to help her breath.
At her restaurant Saturday, Tanner said she has not been able to see her daughter because of visitor restrictions at the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m trying to keep busy, but it’s driving me nuts at the same time,” Tanner said. “I hope that GrubHub understands the situation because they do have some issues with their drivers... For that person to have that kind of anger — to hit her, carry her on his car, then run her over — something is wrong somewhere.”
In a statement, GrubHub said they are “shocked and appalled” by the incident and have terminated the driver’s contract with the company and revoked his access to the platform.
GrubHub said they’ve given the driver’s information to the Chicago Police Department and are cooperating with the investigation.
