Drivers killed two pedestrians within 2 days on highway-like streets in River North
Update 9/23/19: Hannah Boshardy, the prematurely born daughter of Elizabeth Boshardy, died on Saturday, September 21, four days after Elizabeth’s death. This Chicago Tribune article provides information about Elizabeth’s life.
Motorists fatally struck two people walking during the last two days, within a few blocks of each other, on highway-like roads in River North.
On Monday, September 16, shortly before 2 a.m., Ismael Montez Maldonado, 43, was crossing the street at 19 E. Ohio St., according to authorities. This stretch of Ohio is an eastbound street connecting the Kennedy Expressway to the Magnificent Mile shopping district, with a broad four-lane layout that encourages speeding.
The driver a white four-door Toyota Camry sedan struck Maldonado and fled eastbound, according to police. The vehicle was last seen heading south on Lake Shore Drive from Grand Avenue.
Maldonado was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities. People with information about the crash are asked to call the Major Accident Investigation Unit at 312-745-4521.
Less that 34 hours later, and only four blocks southwest, on the morning of Tuesday, September 17, shortly before 11:30 a.m., a truck driver struck and killed Elizabeth Boshardy, 29, at Grand Avenue and LaSalle Street.
According to police, Boshardy was walking east on Grand and was crossing LaSalle when the westbound driver of a semi truck made a southbound left onto LaSalle and ran her over, trapping her under the vehicle.
Boshardy was taken to Northwestern Hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to police. ABC Chicago reported that Boshardy was pregnant, and Northwestern staff were still tending to her unborn child as of 4 p.m.
Major Accidents is investigating the case and citations against the driver, including failure to yield, are still pending, ABC reported.
- Jesse Bradley, 32, struck by an intoxicated hit-and-run driver in March 2012 at Division Street and LaSalle
- Emily Fredbloom, struck by a taxi driver in August 2014 on the 1400 block of North LaSalle
- Giorgiana Henley, 74, hit by a turning trucker who failed to yield in January 2016 at Division and LaSalle
- Phillip Levato, 23, struck by a hit-and-run SUV driver in November 2016 at Chicago Avenue and LaSalle
Fatality Tracker: 2019 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets
Pedestrian: 33
Bicyclist: 1
Note: Streetsblog Chicago’s traffic death numbers represent fatal crashes on Chicago surface streets, based on preliminary Chicago Police Department data for January though August 2019 released by the Chicago Department of Transportation, plus media reports for September.
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