Accident in South Loop, Chicago: The suspected death of Gisselle Chavez of Niles in a traffic accident on Roosevelt Street is being investigated as a homicide

CHICAGO– A 21-year-old woman was killed and two of her passengers were seriously injured in a traffic accident in the South Loop. Police are currently investigating the case as a homicide resulting from an incident of road rage between two other vehicles.

Police were searching Monday for two motorists, including the driver of a red pickup truck equipped with a trailer hitch conversion kit, who allegedly “rammed” the woman's SUV because he apparently mistook her for another driver who had recently rear-ended the red pickup.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

According to reports obtained by the Sun-Times, Giselle Chavez was driving her sister's 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe when it was “rammed” by the red truck in the 100 block of West Roosevelt Road around 2:15 a.m. Saturday morning.

According to reports, Chavez lost control of the Tahoe and crashed into a nearby building and a utility pole. All occupants were ejected 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 traveling eastbound in the 600 block of West Roosevelt Road behind a 1994 Chevrolet Blazer, which in turn was driving behind the red tow truck, according to traffic reports obtained by the Sun-Times.

According to reports, the Blazer suddenly drove into the red truck and sped away from the scene of the accident.

As the Blazer disappeared eastbound on Roosevelt Street, the tow truck driver apparently thought the Tahoe, now driving behind it, was the vehicle that had struck him from behind. She backed into the Tahoe and began speeding after him as Chavez tried to drive away. She eventually struck the Tahoe and died, reports say.

Both the tow truck driver and the Blazer driver fled the scene and were not taken into custody on 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 coroner'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 to a reporter when reached by phone and in person by the Sun-Times.

A GoFundMe page set up by Chavez's cousin, which had raised more than $6,000 by midday Monday to cover funeral and medical bills, said Alexandra Chavez's condition had stabilized.

David Struett and Elvia Malagon contributed to this report.

The video in the player above is from an earlier report.

INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood

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