Four people were killed after a car fleeing police drove off a bridge and into a train box car early Sunday in Bedford Park, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The medical examiner’s office identified the victims as 14-year-old Vanessa Morales, of Palatine; Yaritza Martinez Villeda, 17, of Crystal Lake; Yuarem Garcia-Pena, 18, of Woodstock; and Cristofer Lopez Montan, 19, of Woodstock.
Chicago police were responding to a call after someone pointed a gun at a person from the car. Officers tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver didn’t stop. Officers briefly chased the car before stopping the pursuit, according to police.
Illinois State Police troopers then saw the same car and attempted to stop it in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The car briefly stopped for the troopers, but then the driver sped off again. State troopers radioed Chicago police for back up.
The wanted car — speeding away from police in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue — drove off a bridge and crashed into a train box car at around 2:15 a.m. Sunday, police said. Two men and one woman in the car were killed and pronounced dead at the scene. A second woman was taken to Christ Hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced.
The medical examiner’s office said all four autopsies were scheduled for Monday.
No other injuries were reported. Chicago police are investigating the incident with assistance from state police.