Chicago mother of 2 killed in Bolingbrook hit-and-run crash on I-55; grandmother breaks silence
Another pedestrian was injured in the crash
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- A pedestrian was killed and another seriously injured in a hit-and-run involving a semi-truck on I-55 in Bolingbrook, blocking traffic Friday morning.
Illinois State Police said at 3:16 a.m., a vehicle pulled over on the side of I-55 in the northbound lanes near Route 53 in Bolingbrook.
According to IDOT, the vehicle ran out of gas so the driver and the passenger got out. That's when they were struck by the semi, which then fled the scene.
The crash caused traffic backups for miles early Friday and into the morning rush as investigators gathered evidence.
Traffic was diverted off the interstate for hours as witnesses stopped on the shoulder to speak with troopers.
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Troopers said the driver, 28-year-old Perla Andrade, was pronounced dead at the scene, and the passenger was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Perla's mother spoke with ABC7, pleading with the hit-and-run driver to turn himself in. The victim lived with her mother and two children in Little Village.
Perla's mother said she was a loving mother herself. Her husband died three years ago, and she was raising two children, 3 and 10 years old, on her own.
Her mother said she last spoke with Perla last night. She was with a friend, going to pick up another friend, when she was killed. Now, her children are left without either parent.
Perla's mother said after hitting her daughter and her friend, the truck driver never stopped. She hopes he is a father, and can see the pain the family is going through. She asked him to turn himself in to authorities. And, she asks anyone with information about the driver to come forward.
The family is now working on funeral arrangements, and a family friend has set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money for those expenses, and for the children.
Authorities have not offered updates on the condition of Perla's injured friend.
There are many cameras along the expressway, but, at this point, police have not said whether they captured any images of the truck they are looking for.
