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Two Killed In Crash After A Pursued Vehicle Struck Their Car

UPDATED 05/23/11 4:36 p.m.

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A 57-year-old man and woman were killed early Sunday when a pursued vehicle disobeyed a Northwest Side stoplight and slammed into their car. The deaths were ruled homicides.

Franciszek Opiela, of 7818 W. Sunset Dr. in Elmwood Park, and Teresa Cygan, of 110 Cambridge Ave. in Streamwood, were both pronounced dead Sunday morning at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Opiela and Cygan, both 57, were in a Hyundai Elantra traveling west on Diversey Avenue when a Honda Civic traveling north on Kostner Avenue disobeyed a red light and collided with the Elantra at the intersection about 5:20 a.m., police said.

A Monday autopsy determined Opiela and Cygan died of multiple injuries from a pursued vehicle striking an automobile and the deaths were ruled homicides.

Police News Affairs Officer Anne Dwyer said the pursuit did not involve a police vehicle. News Affairs was not releasing further information on the pursuit, citing an ongoing investigation by Grand Central Area detectives.

The collision caused both cars to go out of control.

"The Elantra whacked a building and the Civic hit a traffic light and a fire hydrant," a Grand Central District police captain said.

The Honda sustained front and side damage, while the Elantra had front and left side damage, police said.

"They were smashed up bad," the captain said.

Three people inside the Honda and one other person inside the Elantra were hospitalized, police said.

Paramedics initially took six people to area hospitals in critical condition, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said. Two people were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, two people were taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, one person was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and one person was taken to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center.

No charges or tickets have been issued as of 4 p.m., Dwyer said.

© Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2011. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

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