Chicago Man Charged with DUI in Fatal Hit-and-Run

According to Illinois State Police, Enrique Lopez, 32, was waiting on the shoulder of the I-55 Expressway for a tow truck on Thursday night when he was struck by a pickup truck. The truck, described by witnesses as a white pickup with a blue driver’s door left the scene of the accident. Lopez was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital but he could not be resuscitated according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Fernando Almaraz, 40, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated DUI in the incident. A witness allegedly saw Almaraz’s pickup truck cross the sold white line on the Stevenson Expressway and strike Lopez before driving off. Police located the vehicle 15 minutes later and determined that Almaraz was under the influence of alcohol after conducting field sobriety tests. In addition, an open can of beer was found in the vehicle and Alvarez admitted consuming alcohol. Almaraz reportedly had a BAC of .161, just over twice the legal limit.

Almaraz has three prior convictions for DUI. Bail was set at $1 million.

Motorist charged with DUI in fatal hit-and-run, www.suntimes,.com, March 19, 2011 Prosecutors: Driver in fatal Stevenson crash was drunk, www.chicagotribune.com, March 19, 2011