Caught On Video: Speeding SUV Driver Slams Into Parked Car On Southwest Side, Goes Down Sidewalk To Escape
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The search was on Thursday night to try to find the person who drove a sport-utility vehicle down a sidewalk to get away from a hit-and-run crash.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, speed was a factor in the SUV losing control. The driver was on the run Thursday night, but the reckless behavior was caught on video – leaving one man without a way to get around.
The SUV was seen barreling down a side road on the Southwest Side and slamming right into a parked car.
"It was quite a mess out here," said a man named Jacob.
That parked car belongs to Jacob. He was visiting friends at 52nd Street and Keeler Avenue in the Archer Heights neighborhood.
"We heard a bang - and we didn't think much of it, right?" Jacob said, "and lo and behold, I get ready to go home, and I come outside, and my car is actually sitting in the front lawn over here."
His BMW was crushed and the rear axle was hanging off.
The damages were a result of that SUV racing through a parking lot at high speeds of around 50 to 60 mph.
The route the SUV driver took is a cut-through that many drivers use to get from Pulaski Road to Keeler Avenue.
"I would see people would be driving normally, not people going 50, 60 miles an hour through this street - especially with potholes," Jacob said.
In the video, you can see the SUV hit the brake lights before approaching Keeler Avenue. And that was for a good reason – he wasn't trying to slow down, but rather, he didn't see a huge speed bump as he sped down the cut-through.
That catapulted the SUV right towards Jacob's car.
"Hitting that speed bump and getting some air, you can see my car just getting thrown into the front lawn over here," Jacob said.
Home surveillance shows the SUV driving on the sidewalk after the crash. The driver was very determined to get away, and did.
"I came out here, and I kind of like – not going to lie - I kind of broke down for little bit," Jacob said.
Jacob is without his car for which he worked hard to save. He hopes someone can help catch the driver before he strikes again.
But the in meantime, he wishes drivers using that cut-through will slow down.
"It was going pretty fast, and maybe if my car wasn't here, this car would have went into one of these houses over here and possibly killed someone," Jacob said.
It was unclear Thursday night if the SUV was stolen or not. But the silver Suzuki was left with serious front-end damage.
As for Jacob's car, there is a good chance it is totaled.