CHICAGO (CBS)– Otis Pruitt has been charged in connection with a crash that killed officer James Kouski Jr. in southwest suburban Hometown Saturday morning.
Hometown police said Kouski Jr. was blocking the road around 3 a.m. as crews cleaned up debris from an earlier crash. Kouski Jr. was investigating a the previous crash when he was fatally struck by a car at 91st Street and Pulaski Road.
READ MORE: Chicago Undercover Police Officer, Sergeant Honored For 'High Level Of Professionalism'The offender ran from the scene and was eventually arrested by police and taken to a hospital. Pruitt, 27, is expected in bond court on Monday.
A memorial procession to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office on Chicago’s Near West Side took place Saturday afternoon. Chicago Police – along with neighboring departments- helped escort the body.
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Hometown PD is mourning the death of a veteran officer after a driver hit him during a crash investigation.Bunting and flowers are now outside of this small station. The chief says this is the first on-duty officer death since 1957. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/puaMmFVVbF
— Steven Graves (@StevenGravesTV) April 4, 2021
The police chief remembered the 58-year-old, 34-year veteran, as dedicated – working on the force part-time while keeping another job to provide for loved ones.
