Man killed in deadly Ashburn hit-and-run crash caught on surveillance video identified by family

Saturday, June 22, 2024 12:34AM
Surveillance video shows deadly SW Side hit-and-run
Chicago police said a man was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Kedzie Avenue in the Ashburn neighborhood Thursday night.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man was killed in a hit-and-run crash in the Ashburn neighborhood Thursday night, Chicago police said.

The crash occurred in the 8300-block of South Kedzie Avenue at about 11:58 p.m.

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Surveillance video shows the moments leading up to that horrifying crash.

A volley of gunfire was heard moments before the deadly collision.

Police said the black SUV was heading southbound on Kedzie before careening into the white sedan driving westbound on 83rd Street.

The white sedan was sent into the nearby Starlight Restaurant. The power of the crash knocked the engine out of the white sedan.

Police said the driver of the white sedan died at the scene, while three male suspects got out of the black SUV and ran away.

One of the men was detained by officers, while two other suspects got away, police said.

Repairs and clean up continue hours after the crash. Damage and traffic disruption caused the longtime Starlight restaurant to open three hours late.

The true cost of the crash is incalculable for an Ashburn family. Nohemy Carvajal said her son Raul Palacios was killed in the crash and said her "heart is destroyed."

The family Palacios said he was alone in the white SUV coming home from work and was just blocks away from home when he was hit.

"They have to do some thing about it," the victim's brother, Edgar Cabrera, said. "That has to stop. It's crazy. I don't want another family to feel like the way we feel right now. I know nothing will bring him back, but the only thing is we want is they do something about it."

Palacios' mother hopes to have mass for him at St. Procopius, but there are no firm plans for his service.

Starlight Restaurant owner Steve Papadatos said he found out about the crash early this morning.

"It hit, it broke all the glass and the door and the wall," Papadatos said.

A nearby neighbor who did not want to be identified, said he, "Heard a big explosion out here, come out here and guy was in the truck trying to get away...They ran out, jumped the fence, jumped my fence, there is blood all over my fence, could have cut the guy."

Area One detectives are investigating.

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