A driver fatally struck Mohamed Salah Ali, 29, as he attempted to cross Lake Shore Drive by the Museum Campus at a signalized surface intersection with no sidewalks or crosswalks, where signs ban pedestrian crossing.
According to police, on Saturday, February 1, at about 7:45 p.m., Ali was attempting to cross the 1400 block of South Lake Shore Drive at McFetridge Drive, between Soldier Field and the Field Museum of Natural History. There are no bike and pedestrian crossings from the lakefront to inland areas between the underpasses by Roosevelt Road and the bike/pedestrian bridge by the 18th Street Metra station.
Police say Ali was walking east and was attempting to cross the northbound lanes when the motorist struck him. He may have been coming from Columbus Drive, which terminates at McFetridge, but lacks sidewalks and has signs prohibiting bike/ped access south of Roosevelt.
Ali "suffered severe head trauma" and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police. He had lived on the 2800 block of north Francisco Ave. in Avondale, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
The driver was not cited, police said. Major Accidents is investigating the case.
Fatality Tracker: 2020 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets
Pedestrian: 3
Bicyclist: 0
Note: Streetsblog Chicago’s traffic death numbers represent fatal crashes on Chicago surface streets, based on media reports and/or preliminary Chicago Police Department data released by the Chicago Department of Transportation.
