Man Charged With Murder In Hit-And-Run Had 14 Arrests For Driving Without A License
CHICAGO (CBS) – A man accused of bolting after a deadly car crash on the South Side last month is now facing murder charges.
When the suspect took off running he left his car, his keys, wallet and cell phone, police say.
With so much evidence left behind and no arrest in four weeks, one victim's family questioned the priority of hit and run crashes.
Now almost five weeks later 33-year-old James Thompson is behind bars and denied bond. Thompson faces murder and other charges after the violent crash was captured on surveillance video in Park Manor.
"It was murder," said Talnise Adams, whose son, 35-year-old Jerome Clopton, died in the incident.
Adams says it won't bring back her son – or the other victim, 42-year-old James Moore – "but it does make me feel really good that someone is going to pay for it."
Adams was worried that might not happen.
On the night of the crash even though Thompson was being pursued by a state trooper, he was able to run from the wreckage without being caught.
Even with his car, keys, wallet, and cell phone left behind, police were not able to track him down until now.
"No one answered any questions why it took so long. I'm not sure. No one told me anything," Adams said.
CBS 2 learned in court Thompson been arrested for driving without a license 14 times.
And there was another disturbing detail revealed in court.
"The defendant's vehicle was traveling 91.9 miles per hour five seconds prior to the crash," said Assistant States Attorney Rachel Mabbott.
Clopton's family is pleased with the charges but still question the priority of hit and run crashes.
"These hit and run cases, they are taking people's lives, innocent people's lives," family member Linda Sneed said. "And there's not enough attention on it. There's not."
Thompson will return to court Dec. 24.
