CPD: Driver caused death of Aurea Gutierrez, 31, in the West Loop early Sunday morning, fled the scene
While CPD's Community Alert described this as a pedestrian fatality, the crash report says Aurea Gutierrez was on the roof of an SUV before the driver hit a chain link fence.
The 1300 block of West Kinzie, looking west, as it appeared in August 2019. The crash report says the driver collided with a chain link fence. Image: Google Maps.
Sadly, Aurea Guitirrez, 31, died from injuries suffered early Sunday morning after an SUV driver reportedly struck a chainlink fence in the West Loop early Sunday morning and then fled the scene.
A Community Alert released by the Chicago Police Department states that on Sunday, September 17, at about 2 a.m., an SUV driver "struck a pedestrian" near 1313 W. Kinzie St. in the West Loop. The victim died at the scene.
The Community Alert states that the motorist fled the scene in an unknown direction. It says the vehicle was a dark blue 2011 Cadillac with Illinois registration #DV19629, and anyone with information on the crash can call the Major Accidents Investigation Unit at 312-745-4521. The alert includes photos of the SUV taken immediately after the crash.
The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the victim as Aurea Gutierrez, 31, of the 2900 block of N. Kenneth Ave. in the Hermosa community.
The narrative on the traffic crash report prepared by the responding Chicago police officers indicates that Gutierrez was not on foot when the SUV driver first struck an object. After officers responded to a call about the collision, witnesses told them Gutierrez "was on the roof of [the] vehicle before [the] crash." The witnesses said the SUV driver "struck a chain link fence causing passenger [Gutierriez] to be totally ejected from the vehicle."
The crash report states that the driver, a female, left the scene before the responding officers arrived without leaving contact or insurance info. However, the report says the vehicle's license plate "was found lodged in the chainlink fence."
The document lists the SUV owner as a person who lives in suburban Bolingbrook. (Streetsblog Chicago generally does not publish the names and exact address of people involved in crashes if they are listed in crash reports but this info has not been publicized by the authorities.)
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