An off-duty Chicago police officer is facing felony charges after he allegedly drove his car into a restaurant Sunday in Gresham on the South Side, killing one customer and injuring another.
Terrance Finley, 24, was charged Tuesday with reckless homicide with a motor vehicle and aggravated driving under the influence leading to an accidental death, Chicago police said. Finley, whose blood alcohol content was allegedly over the legal limit of .08, was also charged with misdemeanor DUI and a traffic violation. He is due in bond court Tuesday.
The waiting area for the small carryout restaurant had been packed just two minutes before Finley allegedly crashed his car through the window of the building.
“Two minutes before the crash, there were about 12 customers in there, then most of them left, including a group of about six,” Tawfik Damra, owner of Tony’s Philly Steak, 1757 W. 87th St., told the Chicago Sun-Times Monday.
“Thank God they were out of the store,” said Damra, who reviewed security footage of the crash that he shared with police.
“It looked like an earthquake when the car smashed into the store,” he said, noting there were three employees and three customers in the store at the time.
Damra said his business partner’s son was working the cash register, but had stepped about three feet away to wipe up some water that had spilled on the floor.
“Those three feet saved him,” he said.
Marquita N. Reed, 35, was not as fortunate. She was pinned under the car and was later pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy Monday found she died of multiple injuries from being struck by a vehicle; her death was ruled an accident.
Another woman, also 35, suffered a leg injury, police said. She was taken to the same hospital in good condition.
About 2:42 a.m. Sunday, Finley was eastbound in his Toyota sedan in the 1700 block of West 87th Street and tried to turn south onto Wood Street, police said. A westbound vehicle also tried to turn onto Wood at the same time and cut the Toyota off, police said.
The driver of the other vehicle did not stop; its whereabouts are unknown, according to police. It was unclear whether information about the other car was provided by Finley, other witnesses, or security cameras at that intersection.
Finley stayed at the scene of the accident, police said.
At an unrelated press conference Monday morning, CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson was asked about concerns that Finley would be treated differently than other suspects.
“You all know me long enough now to know that I don’t play that game,” Johnson said, as he joined Mayor Lori Lightfoot to announce a new community policing initiative.
“Listen. This officer will be treated just like anybody else. The charges are still pending with him. Once we have final approval, this information will be disseminated just like anyone else,” Johnson added.
“It’s important that people know. First of all, I expect my officers to adhere to a higher standard. I really do. When they don’t, then they will be held accountable. There is no game-playing, no trying to hide anything. When the time comes for us to release that information, we do.”
Howard Brookins — the alderman for the 21st Ward, where the accident occurred — called the incident a “tragedy,” especially considering the proliferation of ride-hailing services that can, at the press of a button, carry home inebriated people.
“It’s a sad situation, the life of a young lady is gone and the officer’s life is ruined,” he said.
Reed’s family members told reporters she was a registered nurse with two children.
“She would do anything for anybody,” her mother, Angela Reed, told WGN News.
Contributing: Fran Spielman
