Driver Fatally Strikes Man on Expressway, Flees With Body on Windshield

An allegedly drunk driver struck and killed a man who was crossing a Chicago expressway on foot, and then drove off with the victim’s body lying on the windshield, according to prosecutors. Adrian Harris, 33, of the 5400 block of West Van Buren Street, is charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI causing death.

Shortly before 3:50 a.m. last Saturday, Jess Rodriguez, 41, had been driving west on the Eisenhower Expressway when he got in an altercation with his girlfriend, DNAinfo reported. The woman exited the vehicle near the Western Avenue off-ramp and began walking on the left shoulder of the highway. Rodriguez parked on the right shoulder and then tried to cross to the other side on foot, prosecutors said.

Harris was driving west on the expressway when he came upon vehicles that had slowed to let Rodriguez pass, according to prosecutors. Harris veered around a van and then struck Rodriguez.

Rodriguez went over the hood of the car and landed on the rear windshield, prosecutors said. The impact from the crash killed him. Harris initially pulled over on the shoulder of the expressway but soon fled with the victim’s body lying on the trunk.

According to prosecutors, an off-duty sheriff’s police investigator pursued Harris and flashed his lights. The investigator got Harris to pull over, exit the expressway, and sit on a guardrail until police officers showed up. A blood draw found that his blood alcohol content was .169, more than twice the legal limit.

Harris had previously lost his license for DUI-related reasons and was on parole for driving on a suspended license, DNA reported. He had several prior drug and driving convictions. At a bond hearing on Monday, a judge ordered him held in lieu of $400,000 bail.

Fatality Tracker: 2015 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths
Pedestrian: 27 (11 were hit-and-run crashes)
Bicyclist: 4 (two were hit-and-run crashes)