Off-Duty Officer To Be Charged With DUI After Car Crashes Into Restaurant, Killing Mother Of 2
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An off-duty police officer will be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after his car crashed into a restaurant, killing one person in Gresham.
Marquita Reed, a nurse and mother of two, died after she was pinned underneath the car that crashed into Tony's Philly Steak, in the 1700 block of west 87th Street.
"She was sitting waiting here for her food," said restaurant co-owner Tawfick Damra. "And she passed away."
Reed, 34, was sitting inside Tony's Philly Steak restaurant when she was pinned underneath the car. She was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Hospital from her injuries.
Another woman inside the restaurant suffered a leg injury, and the driver suffered a neck injury.
Chicago police said the off-duty officer is 24 years old and had been on the force for three years. The off-duty officer told police he was driving east on 87th Street when another car heading west turned in front of him, and he swerved to avoid the vehicle. The off-duty officer made a sharp turn, jumped the curb, and hit the building.
"It happened so fast that I don't even think he had time to hit the brakes," said Jerrell Desmond, who witnessed the crash.
Police said the officer had a blood alcohol level of .083, just over the legal limit.
"When the time comes he'll be held accountable for his actions," said Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson.
The off-duty officer was driving his personal vehicle, and Sunday was his day off. He was coming from a friend's house, according to police.
No one answered the door at the address associated with the vehicle involved in the wreck.
Damra said it will be a couple of weeks before the restaurant is back up and running.
Officials said this is an ongoing investigation and Area Detectives are still investigating.
