Suspected road rage death of Niles woman in South Loop investigated as homicide

CHICAGO -- A 21-year-old woman was killed and two of her passengers critically injured in a South Loop crash that police are now investigating as a homicide sparked by a road rage incident between two other vehicles.

Police Monday were looking for two motorists, including the driver of a red pickup truck equipped with a tow-conversion kit that allegedly "rammed" the woman's SUV, apparently mistaking her for another driver that had just rear-ended the red truck.

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Giselle Chavez was behind the wheel of her sister's 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe when it was "rammed" about 2:15 a.m. Saturday by the red truck in the 100 block of West Roosevelt Road, according to reports obtained by the Sun-Times.

Chavez lost control of the Tahoe and crashed into a nearby building and utility pole, according to the reports. All occupants were thrown from the Tahoe and landed on a sidewalk.

Minutes before the crash that killed her, Chavez, her 20-year-old sister and a 21-year-old man were eastbound in the 600 block of West Roosevelt Road traveling behind a 1994 Chevrolet Blazer, which was behind the red tow truck, according to traffic reports obtained by the Sun-Times.

Suddenly, the Blazer rear-ended the red truck and sped away from the scene, according to the reports.

As the Blazer disappeared east on Roosevelt, the tow truck driver, apparently thinking the Tahoe now behind it was the vehicle that rear-ended him, reversed into the Tahoe and began racing after it when Chavez tried to drive away, eventually ramming it, causing her death, according to reports.

The tow truck driver and the Blazer driver both fled the scene and were not in custody Monday.

Chavez, a 21-year-old Niles resident, suffered a head injury and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police and the Cook County medical examiner's office said. Her sister, 20-year-old Alexandra Chavez, and the man also suffered head injuries. They were taken to the same hospital in critical condition.

Relatives of Chavez declined to speak with a reporter when reached via phone and in person by the Sun-Times.

A GoFundMe set up by Chavez's cousin - which had raised over $6,000 to help with funeral and medical bills by noon Monday - said Alexandra Chavez's condition had stabilized.

David Struett and Elvia Malagon contributed to this report.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

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Source: ( Sun-Times Media Wire - Copyright Chicago Sun-Times 2024.)