Teen charged in deadly hit-and-run near Willowbrook appears in court

UNINCORPORATED WILLOWBROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- A 19-year-old charged in a deadly hit-and-run crash in unincorporated Willowbrook appeared in court Friday.

Marlon Myles is accused of plowing into a Nissan late Wednesday night on Route 83 near Mockingbird Lane, killing Abin Mathew, and leaving the scene. Myles appeared in bond court Friday, where bond was set at $100,000. He is due back in court next week.

Prosecutors said Myles texted a friend a picture of the damage to his 1999 Buick after he left the scene of the deadly crash, saying, "El Chapo was injured." "El Chapo," prosecutors said, is what Myles calls his car.

Mathew was killed in the crash and four others in the car were injured after the Nissan they were riding in went off the road and struck a tree. Myles was taken into custody Thursday night. He is charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, a class 1 felony.

Outside the DuPage County Courthouse Friday morning, Myles' family explained why they believe he allegedly took off after the crash.

"He probably was scared. He's 19 years old. He don't know what to do," said Latia Wright, sister.

"I want to get out that my son is a good kid. He never got in any type of trouble before. He never had a record or nothing," said Rosalyn Wright, mother.

Mathew moved to the U.S. a few years ago from India. The 26-year-old worked as a manager at a gas station to provide for his family. He was set to travel back home next week to see his fiance and prepare for their upcoming wedding in India.

"I give all my heart to the people who lost their son," Rosalyn Wright said.

Mathew's family was not in court Friday morning. They released a statement this afternoon saying in part, "While we are still grappling with the emotional toll from his death, we entrust his soul to God. We pray that justice, peace, and mercy prevail. Words cannot even suffice how thankful we are to the people who have found any way to help us."

The family started a GoFundMe account to help deal with the expenses from Mathew's death.