State Police: SUV Going At Least 118MPH Before Fiery Dan Ryan Wreck
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois State Police said the SUV involved in a fiery fatal crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway earlier this week was going more than 110 miles per hour.
Police said a state trooper in an unmarked car was passed by a black Mercedes-Benz GL450 around 11:20 p.m. Tuesday while driving on the Chinatown feeder ramp from the inbound Dan Ryan.
The trooper momentarily caught up with the SUV as it was going 118 mph, and activated his vehicle's lights and sirens to attempt a traffic stop, but the SUV sped away, and the trooper backed off, police said.
Moments later, the trooper came upon the SUV after it hit a concrete bridge abutment and burst into flames at the 23rd Street overpass.
The driver, Timothy Letten, and his passenger, Christopher Pastiu, both 22, were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said neither man was wearing a seat belt.