SUV driver fatally struck a female pedestrian Tuesday evening near Gompers Park

Note: While this is the first pedestrian or bike fatality I’ve seen in news reports in 2026, it appears there were some other crash deaths this year that haven’t been reported yet. Streetsblog Chicago will provide an update on these cases soon.

Tragically, on Tuesday, March 3, an SUV driver fatally struck a female pedestrian in the North Park community.

According to police, around 6:15 p.m., a 70-year-old man was driving a Chevrolet SUV west in the 4000 block of West Foster Avenue, near Pulaski Road and Gompers Park. Foster is a five-lane road here, which encourages speeding.

After the SUV struck the victim, she was transported to St. Francis Hospital. She was later pronounced dead.

According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, an autopsy found the victim died of multiple injuries from a motor vehicle striking a pedestrian. Her age and name have not yet been released.

This crash location is in the 39th Ward. In February 2025, local Ald. Samantha Nugent voted against an ordinance to lower Chicago’s default speed limit from 30 to 25 mph, a strategy that has decreased pedestrian fatalities in peer cities like New York.

Update 3/17/26, 5:45 PM: According to Police News Affairs, the driver was cited for driving an uninsured vehicle and failure to exercise due care for a pedestrian in the roadway.

Fatality Tracker: 2026 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets

Pedestrian: 1

Bicyclist: 0

Streetsblog Chicago’s traffic death numbers represent fatal crashes on Chicago surface streets, based on media reports and/or preliminary Chicago Police Department data.

2026 Chicago pedestrian fatality cases

• On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, around 6:15 PM, an SUV driver, 70, fatally struck a female pedestrian in the 4000 block of West Foster Avenue in the North Park neighborhood.

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