South suburban assistant principal dead after being ejected from Jeep on Dan Ryan Expressway
CHICAGO (CBS)-- An assistant principal at a south suburban school was killed after being ejected from a car on the Dan Ryan Expressway early Friday morning.
According to Illinois State Police, when troopers arrived on the scene, they found a person laying in the roadway. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene.
For unknown reasons, the driver of a Jeep Wrangler fell out of the vehicle and became a pedestrian in the roadway, ISP said. Two vehicles struck the pedestrian. One of which fled the scene.
The Jeep then ran off the roadway and struck a concrete median barrier. No other injuries were reported.
Brookwood School District 167 in Glenwood confirmed the victim of the crash was Rosia Mitchell – an assistant principal at Brookwood Junior High School.
Brookwood School District 167 Supt. Bethany A. Lindsay wrote in a notice to families that Mitchell had served the district for 15 years. She had begun her teaching career as a reading teacher at Brookfield Junior High, and was also a basketball coach.
Over the past four years, Mitchell has been an assistant principal at Brookwood Middle School and Brookwood Junior High School, Lindsay wrote.
Mitchell's sister-in-law, Jacqueline Tapia, told CBS 2's Charlie De Mar that Mitchell was a beautiful soul and an amazing mentor to countless students. Mitchell was one of four siblings.
Mitchell wanted to be a teacher to help people, her sister-in-law said.
A crisis response team has made plans to respond to the emotional needs of students and staff at Brookwood Junior High following the accident, Lindsay wrote.
All lanes were closed at 31st Street following the accident, and they reopened just before noon, ISP confirmed.