Tragically, Thanksgiving week was deadly for two men walking on Chicago's South Side. Hit-and-run drivers killed Eliseo Mendoza, 86, last Tuesday in Little Village, and an unidentified male pedestrian, 64, on Thursday in Chatham.
Motorist kills Eliseo Mendoza in Little Village and flees
At about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24, Mendoza was crossing Sawyer Avenue on 26th Street, police said. The westbound driver of an SUV was turning south onto Sawyer when they struck the senior. Mendoza was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The driver fled southbound. Police released a photo of the vehicle, a black or gray GMC Arcadia from 2008 to 2012. People with information on the case should call Major Accidents at 312-745-4521.
"What actually happened that a person could hit an elderly [person], and leave him laying there by himself, not caring at all?" Leticia Torres, one of Mendoza's seven daughters, said to ABC news. She explained that Mendoza, who she described as a kind and generous man, had left his house to buy fruit when he was killed. "He will always live in our hearts. We need to know the truth, we need to know details so we can be at peace. He will be truly missed."
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information on the case,
Hit and run-driver kills man, 64, walking in Chatham on Thanksgiving night
On Thursday, November 26, at about 11:30 p.m., a 64-year-old man was crossing the street at 87th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, police said. The driver of a sedan, possibly a black 2018 Honda Civic, was speeding west on 87th and and made a sharp left to go southbound on Cottage Grove. The driver of a northbound red Dodge Durango SUV was attempting to turn right to head east on 87th when the Honda driver struck their vehicle, and then struck the pedestrian. This caused the Dodge to flip over, striking the pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The sedan driver was last seen heading west on 88th Street from Cottage Grove, according to police. The front driver side of the vehicle is damaged, and the airbag was deployed. If you have info on the case, call Major Accidents at 312-745-4521.
Fatality Tracker: 2020 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets
Pedestrian: 31
Bicyclist: 8
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.
