In a case Cook dinner County prosecutors are calling a lethal act of vehicular aggression, a 34-year-old man is charged with first-degree homicide after allegedly pursuing and repeatedly ramming a girl’s car after which crashing into one other automobile, killing its driver.
Markell Reeves was arrested this week, greater than a yr after the multi-vehicle crash that killed a 45-year-old lady within the 6400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
Throughout a courtroom listening to on Wednesday, prosecutors laid out a disturbing chain of occasions that started as a routine fender bender round 10:22 p.m. on Might 25, 2024. Prosecutors say Reeves was driving a crimson Ford Expedition north on South Shore Drive at 71st Road when he collided with a silver Volkswagen pushed by a 28-year-old lady.
Each drivers pulled over to alternate info and waited for police.
When officers didn’t arrive after 10–quarter-hour, Reeves and the girl agreed to drive to the close by Grand Crossing (third) District police station at 7040 South Cottage Grove Avenue. She led the way in which, and Reeves adopted shut behind, in keeping with prosecutors.
As the girl ready to show into the station’s car parking zone, Reeves allegedly rear-ended her car, inflicting it to spin out. The girl tried to flee north on Cottage Grove to get away from him, however prosecutors say Reeves pursued her and struck her a second time simply previous 68th Road. Police later recovered items of his license plate and her damaged taillight from that location.
In keeping with prosecutors, the girl continued attempting to flee by making a number of turns, however Reeves stored following carefully. As she turned again onto Cottage Grove, surveillance video allegedly captured Reeves rushing up and slamming into her automobile a 3rd time. That collision pushed the girl’s car off the street and right into a pole.
Reeves then misplaced management of his SUV, veered into oncoming visitors, and crashed head-on right into a Chevrolet Equinox carrying two ladies, prosecutors stated. The driving force, 45, was pronounced useless on the scene. Her 46-year-old passenger survived however sustained inside accidents that required intensive surgical procedure.
Emergency responders discovered Reeves mendacity on the bottom subsequent to his SUV. He and the surviving sufferer had been taken to hospitals for remedy.
Prosecutors stated DNA collected from the airbag of Reeves’ Ford matched his genetic profile. The girl he allegedly pursued additionally picked him out of a photograph lineup.
Reeves later despatched a threatening Fb message to the girl that included her house deal with and referenced the unique crash, prosecutors claimed. She reported the message to the police.
After his arrest, Reeves reportedly admitted to being behind the wheel of the Ford that evening, although he claimed he was merely making a U-turn to return to the station when one other automobile struck him, an account prosecutors say is contradicted by surveillance footage.
Investigators additionally recovered two telephones from Reeves on the time of his arrest, together with one containing messages between him and a witness relating to testimony she would give to a grand jury, prosecutors stated.
Reeves is charged with first-degree homicide, homicide, homicide in the course of the fee of one other forcible felony, two counts of tried homicide, and three counts of aggravated battery.
His prior file features a 2017 conviction for aggravated battery with a lethal weapon and misdemeanor DUI, prosecutors stated. Choose Rivanda Doss Beal detained Reeves pending trial.
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