Driver charged in Heart of Chicago crash that left his cousin dead: prosecutors

A 34-year-old man was driving about 70 mph before a crash that left his cousin dead last month in the Heart of Chicago neighborhood, according to prosecutors.

Dominique Simmons now faces a felony charge of reckless homicide, a misdemeanor count of speeding 35 mph over the limit and two citations for disobeying a stoplight in connection with the fatal crash Dec. 20, according to Chicago police.

Simmons allegedly ran a red light at Cermak Road and Ashland Avenue at 4:09 a.m. when a Toyota RAV4, driving the speed limit, T-boned his Jeep at the intersection, Cook County prosecutors said at a Saturday bail hearing.

Simmons’ Jeep flipped and the passenger, his 32-year-old cousin Casey Miller, fell out of the sunroof and was pinned beneath the vehicle, prosecutors said. Miller was the only passenger. No one else was hurt.

Chicago police

Miller, a Schaumburg resident, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died within the hour, authorities said.

Simmons allegedly told investigators he was speeding because a black car was following him and he feared he was going to be carjacked. Video evidence didn’t back up that claim, prosecutors said.

Simmons’ defense attorneys noted that he stayed at the scene and cooperated with responding officers. The South Austin neighborhood resident works as a commercial truck driver, attorneys said.

A judge set bail for Simmons at $5,000. He’s expected back in court Monday.