Hit-and-run drivers fatally struck two people, and critically injured a third, on Chicago streets last week

Shockingly, within four days last week, motorists struck and critically injured or killed different people, then fled the scene. These cases dramatically highlight need for better street design, laws, and enforcement to help prevent such tragedies.

Monday, May 11: Driver struck and critically injured woman, 45, in Humboldt Park

According to the initial Chicago Police Department report, at around 7:56 p.m., the woman was crossing north near Franklin Boulevard and Albany Avenue in Humboldt Park when the eastbound driver of a maroon vehicle struck her and fled in an unknown direction. The victim suffered head injuries and was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

Local residents told ABC Chicago it’s common for motorists to speed and otherwise drive recklessly on Franlin. “[Drivers] don’t stop,” Angel Rodriguez said. “Pedestrians try to walk across the street, but there’s no help to help them across.”

Tuesday, May 12: Motorist fatally struck Enrique Nieto, 53, in West Lawn

The preliminary police statement said that around 11:12 p.m., Nieto was on the street near the sidewalk on the east side of the 6800 block of South Pulaski Road when the northbound driver of an orange Honda SUV hit him.

Pulaski has five lanes in this part of the city, which encourages speeding.

The victim was taken to Christ Hospital, where he was pronounced dead

Cesar Nieto, Enrique’s nephew, told ABC Chicago his uncle called to ask for assistance after he got a flat. Police security video shows that the two were replacing the tire when the SUV driver struck the older man and fled.

“I was next to him,” Cesar Nieto said to ABC. “So I jumped out the way because I was closest to the back bumper and he was by the tire crouched down.” He said the motorist dragged his uncle several feet. He stayed by his uncle until the ambulance showed up. “I was just trying to keep him breathing, talking to him,” he said.

According to ABC, Enrique Nieto lived in Gage Park, worked construction, and had four children. “So sad I was supposed to see you yesterday for a celebration, and sadly life took you before you could make it here to us,” posted one person on his obituary. 

This afternoon, a police spokesperson said there were no updates on the case.

Thursday, May 14: Driver struck and killed man, 36, in Auburn Gresham

According to the initial CPD statement, the victim was standing at 87th Street and Ashland Avenue around 11 p.m. when the eastbound driver of a beige sedan hit him. “The offending [motorist] then fled the scene eastbound on 87th Street,” the statement says. The pedestrian was taken to Christ Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

This intersection has five or more lanes in each direction, which may have contributed to the crash.

“They kept going, most of the side pieces panels were off on the car,” a witness told ABC Chicago

Carl Johnson told the station he saw the victim lying on the ground. “Everybody was surrounding him, and all I could say was, ‘Breathe, just breathe, stay with us.’ It was a lot going on,” he said.

Roughly a mile from the crash site, near 87th and Carpenter, police found a damaged beige sedan without license plates, and a large hole in the windshield, but ABC reported on Friday that CPD hadn’t determined for sure that it was the vehicle from the collision.

Today, a Police News Affairs spokesperson told Streetsblog that a 28-year-old man who lives two miles west of the crash site in suburban Evergreen Park was cited for failure to reduce speed to prevent a collision, and failure to yield to a pedestrian. Asked why the driver was not charged with a hit-and-run despite CPD’s previous statement that he “fled the scene,” the officer suggested contacting the Cook County state’s attorney’s office for more information.

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

Pedestrian: 11

Bicycle or e-scooter: 4

2026 Chicago pedestrian fatalities

• On Wednesday, January 7, around 8:44 a.m., a 42-year-old woman driving an SUV fatally struck a man, 64, crossing at 9498 S. Lafayette Ave. in Roseland.

• On Monday, February 16, around 4:12 p.m., a 37-year-old female truck driver struck and killed a woman, 63, in the 7200 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Norwood Park.

• On Tuesday, March 3, 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.

• On Wednesday, March 11, sometime before 10 p.m., a hit-and-run driver fatally struck a woman, 32, in the 2100 block of East 83rd Street in South Chicago.

• On Friday, March 13, at around 12:06 p.m., the left-turning driver of a large vehicle struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk at 3960 W. 26th St. in Little Village.

• On Sunday, April 12, around 9 p.m., a 17-year-old girl driving an SUV fatally struck a Fontella Wyatt, 43, crossing Ogden Avenue at Ashland Avenue on the Near West Side.

• On Sunday, April 19, at about 9:30 p.m., a hit-and-run pickup truck driver struck and killed Minerva Martinez, 65, in a crosswalk at Belmont and Central avenues in Belmont Cragin.

• On Monday, April 20, around 6 p.m., a semi-truck driver fatally struck Autumn Perez, 29, at 6341 S. Western Ave. in Chicago Lawn.

• On Saturday, May 2, around 2:40 a.m., after an argument, a driver fatally struck a man, 65, standing on the sidewalk on the 5000 block of S. Western Ave. in Gage Park, and then fled the scene.

• On Tuesday, May 12, Enrique Nieto was changing a flat car tire in the street on the 6800 block of South Pulaski Road when an SUV driver fatally struck him and fled the scene.

• On Thursday, May 14, a hit-and-run sedan driver fatally struck a man, 36, near 87th Street and Ashland Avenue in Auburn Gresham.

2026 Chicago bicycle and e-scooter fatalities

• On Thursday, January 24, around 8:20 p.m., the 33-year-old male driver of a Toyota fatally struck Roman Havelka, 63, on a bicycle in the 8600 block of West Irving Park Road.

• On Saturday, March 21,  around 8:30 p.m., a hit-and-run driver fatally struck Violet Harris, 15, on an e-scooter in the 2800 block of East 77th Street in South Shore.

• On Sunday, April 5, around 1:20 a.m., a speeding, hit-and-run SUV driver fatally struck Damian Gomez, 18, on a bicycle at 63rd Street and Kedzie Avenue in Chicago Lawn.

• On Friday, April 24, around 4:15 p.m., a Jeep driver struck and killed e-scooter rider Astrid Carrillo Noguera, 17, near 3340 S. King Dr. in the Douglas community.

If you value Streetsblog Chicago’s livable streets reporting and advocacy, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here to help us continue publishing through 2026. Thank you for your support.