Chicago police seek pickup truck in hit-and-run that killed 68-year-old woman
CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago police are looking to identify a truck that struck and killed a 68-year-old woman in Archer Heights on Thursday.
The crash happened just before 5 p.m. in the 4300 block of South Pulaski Road.
Police said the truck, possibly a Dodge Ram or Ford F150, was traveling northbound on Pulaski drove through a red light and struck the victim. The driver did not stop to render aid.
The victim, Jiekun Xu, was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The 68-year-old matriarch of her family had a daily routine of walking in her neighborhood and going to Pete's Fresh Market on 43rd and Pulaski to buy groceries and make home-cooked meals for her family.
"I still can't believe it," said Lihua Zhang, Xu's daughter. "I still can't believe it."
Zhang said her mother loved to exercise and walk the neighborhood every day. In the nine years her mother had lived in the community, drivers running the red light at the intersection have been a constant problem.
"The traffic there is very busy," Zhang said. "Sometimes crazy. A lot of people rush across the red light. Of course now they're killing people."
After her mother's death, Zhang said she wants to see change.
"I hope the traffic, the people, can pay attention to it," she said. "Maybe more cameras, more rules, more security, something."
Beatriz Garza witnessed the aftermath of the hit and run.
"Oh my God. It's terrible," she said.
Garza comes to the intersection each day to take the bus. She said a red light camera needs to be installed.
"When I take the bus at 5:30, every car goes on the red light ... every car, no stop," she said. "No respect. Nothing."
Xu worked part-time at her family's printing shop. She had been in the U.S. for five years. Her family said she loved the country and applied to be a U.S. citizen last week.
No arrests were made related to the incident. Major Accident Investigation Unit detectives were investigating.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the police Major Accident Investigation Unit at 312-745-4521.
