Man Charged In Connection To Fatal Hit-And-Run In Hanover Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A West Chicago man was charged Wednesday in connection to a hit-and-run crash in Hanover Park, where a woman riding a motorcycle was killed.
83-year-old Ramon Barajas, of the 800 block of East Grand Lake Blvd. in West Chicago, was charged Wednesday with failure to report an accident involving a death and failure to yield when turning left, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Barajas can be facing four-to-15 years in jail. WBBM's Steve Miller reports.
Barajas appeared in court on Wednesday where a bond of $50,000 was set.
The attorney for 83-year-old Ramon Barajas, Tim Martin, said Barajas is free on bond.
"He suffers from dementia," Martin said. "Eighty-three years old and taking the medication for that illness. He has absolutely no memory of the events."
Martin said that Barajas was on his way home after mall-walking when his car collided with the motorcycle.
30-year-old Christina Jankowski, of Elmhurst, was killed Monday in that hit-and-run crash while riding a motorcycle in west suburban Hanover Park.
Police found Jankowski dead at the scene, after officers responded to a call of a crash at Army Trail and County Farm roads around 8:20 p.m. Monday night.
Witnesses told police a man driving a tan or golden sedan – possibly a Mercury – had struck the motorcycle and left the scene headed south on County Farm Road. Jankowski suffered severe head trauma in the crash, and paramedics were unable to revive her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The next day [Tuesday], "the Barajas family was notified by their elderly father that he found glass in his car."
Martin said the family called several police departments to try to find out what happened and finally learned about the fatal hit-and-run in Hanover Park.
The Barajas family is devastated for the family of the motorcyclist, Martin said.
He said Barajas will plead not guilty because he does not have the necessary mental state of awareness.
Barajas next court date was set for May 22.
