Man Accused Of Driving Into Family In Waukegan Parking Lot, Killing One
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS)-- It was supposed to be a night of fun at the Lake County Sports Center. But shortly after the game ended, horror began in Waukegan when police say an SUV plowed into a group of people.
The 22-year-old driver, Prisciliano Carranza, is accused of striking five people following a fight in the center's parking lot, in the 300 block of Oakwood.
The force of the impact was so violent the bumper of a GMC truck was ripped off and left on the pavement. It's the aftermath of what police say was a deliberate hit and run that left one man dead and four other people injured.
One of the victims, a male in his 40s, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Arturo Montoya watched in horror as the violent plowing happened.
"We saw people run over there and start like fighting, so I went over there and I see some car kinda running over a lot of people," Montoya said.
Police say four members of a single family were hit, including a 10-year-old girl.
"I saw one (person) on the floor. It was very bad," Montoya said. "The other guy, we took him inside the building. We don't know what's going to happen."
Armando Gomez also saw the aftermath and noticed the man in his 40s had the most severe injuries.
"It was one of the older gentlemen, he got really ran over … in the neck, and part of his head," Gomez said.
The driver fled the scene, but he didn't get far.
Police say a short while later at around midnight an officer pulled over Carranza after noticing that he was driving a vehicle with front end damage. The black SUV was occupied with two other people, who police said were brought to the Waukegan Police Department.
Carranza was arrested and charged with first degree murder. He's now behind bars in the Lake County Illinois Jail on a $5 million bond.
Gomez was still shocked by what he saw.
"The car took off. He didn't think twice about it," Gomez said. "He just took off and left."
Carranza is set to appear in court on Oct. 29.