Man killed in Edgewater crash while loading groceries into car at Sheridan, Balmoral

CHICAGO -- A 71-year-old man loading groceries into a car was killed in a crash near Sheridan and Balmoral in the Edgewater neighborhood on Chicago's North Side.

Witnesses said the driver of a maroon car blew through a red light as he traveled at a high rate of speed up Sheridan Road before striking vehicles that were parked near the intersection around 12 p.m. Wednesday. The impact sent one of the cars into a stationary northbound No. 147 CTA bus. Witnesses say the speeding car may have been trying to go around a CTA bus and didn't see the parked cars.

"I believe he tried to go around the bus and crashed into the gentleman and his car, and then into two other cars in front of that car," said Robert Cash, witness. "Based on what I was told by people going down the street, he blew through the red light going about 60-70 miles per hour."

People who work in nearby businesses heard the crash and ran outside to help.

"He wasn't moving. I went up if he needed help, but saw no chance, he wasn't moving," said Jim Alahaj, business owner.

"I saw a man laying down, I could tell that he was unconscious, and he was kind of underneath the car and there was not much I could do for him," said Cash.

Cash works as a waiter at a restaurant directly in front of the crash and he was one of the first to run outside to help. He says the driver of speeding maroon car didn't appear to be seriously injured.

"He got out of the car and saw the man was laying down. And I could tell right away that he was in shock, and he just sat back inside of his car and was fiddling around," said Cash.

Three other people were taken to the hospital, including the driver of the maroon car. Police have not released the identities of the driver or the man killed.

Police closed Sheridan between Foster and Bryn Mawr for several hours as they investigated Wednesday afternoon and the CTA temporarily rerouted buses #147 and #151.