Man was speeding, ran red light on Lower Wacker before hit-and-run crash that killed NU employee, prosecutors say

After running a red light and causing a crash that killed a 70-year-old woman, a man asked a co-worker of hers who was following behind her for a ride as he tried to flee the scene, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.

Marcel Windham, 21, now faces a reckless homicide charge in the hit-and-run that left Christine Campbell dead on Dec. 2, 2020, prosecutors said.

Shortly before midnight that day, Campbell, a Northwestern Memorial Hospital, was driving in the 300 block of East Lower Wacker Drive after getting off work when Windham drove his Buick through a red light and collided with the side of Campbell’s Honda, prosecutors said.

At the time of the crash, he was driving more than 20 mph over the posted 30-mph speed limit, prosecutors said.

Chicago police

A co-worker of Campbell who was following her in a separate car stopped and said she was approached by Windham and a woman in his car for a ride, which she refused, prosecutors said.

Surveillance cameras recorded Windham and his passenger running off before getting into another car and leaving the area, prosecutors said.

Campbell was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The Buick that Windham was driving was registered in his name and DNA evidence collected inside the car matched Windham, prosecutors said.

Windham was taken into custody Tuesday, Chicago police said.

Windham is also facing drug and weapons offenses in two separate cases charged last year, and has previous convictions for theft and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, prosecutors said.

Windham’s girlfriend recently gave birth and he was employed as a metal fabricator, defense attorney Nathaniel Niessen said.

Judge Mary Marubio set bail at $20,000 with electronic monitoring as a condition of release on bond.

Windham was expected back in court March 15.