Car Into Hammond Home Result Of Road Rage: 'He Got Hit And Started Swerving'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A family is searching for answers after a young father was shot and killed in a road rage incident. His car ended up against a Hammond home. Ironically the same home was hit just months ago.
Neighbors described a car bursting through a fence. The path of the car continued kicking up landscaping before finally ending at a porch.
As of Friday night, police continued to look for who played a role in the incident.
With the Fourth of July as the backdrop, Hammond police put the car and those inside in the forefront of its investigation.
Around 8:00 Thursday night, police said a Monte Carlo collided with the home. The impact smashed into steps. Two people inside the car were shot, including 18-year-old Jorge Roman.
"You always hear things in the news, but you never believe it would happen to you," said Sarah Roman, the victim's cousin.
She said her cousin Jorge, a newly minted and loving father of a 6-month-old girl, was supposed to eat dinner with his mom, but something went terribly wrong near a gas station at 165th and Calumet.
The family described an argument with a person in another car, followed by a chase and shots fired. Police said it's an apparent act of road rage.
"I guess he got hit, and that's when he started swerving," said Roman.
"It landed right in the house," said J.J. Reid, who described the damage. His 82-year-old relative lives inside the home. She wasn't hurt. Both have strangely seen this kind of devastation before.
"Since February, these have been just freak accidents that have happened," said Reid.
About five months ago, another car rested on the family's porch. Police said it's the result of a driver speeding away from police, ultimately dying in the impact. A memorial for Antonio Short remains across the street.
"This is not a bad corner. This is not a bad area. No one can explain it," Reid said.
As Reid helped to clean up the lawn and what remains of the porch, he considered the enormity of what's been lost there.
"That's somebody's son, someone's brother," Reid said.
"Any information, if you saw anything, if you could just please let us know," Roman said.
In a news conference police said they hope someone will come forward with information for the ongoing investigation.