TRUCK DRIVER GETS 10 YEARS FOR CRASH THAT KILLED 5 ON I- 55
Francisco Espinal- Quiroz, 53, of Leesburg, Indiana, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a wreck that killed five people on Interstate 55 near southwest suburban Channahon in 2014.
Espinal- Quiroz was driving a Freightliner semi trailer north about 2: 15 p. m. on July 21, 2014 on I- 55 in the southwest suburbs when he entered a construction zone where traffic had slowed to between 3 and 5 mph, prosecutors said.
Espinal- Quiroz had set his cruise control and was traveling at 65 mph when the entered the construction zone and struck a 2012 Kia Soul with Kimberly Britton, 43, Piper Britton, 11, and Timothy Osburn, 64, inside. Kimberly and Pipper Britton will killed in crash and Osburn died at a Chicago hospital 16 days later, the statement said.
Ulrike Blopleh, 48, who was a passenger in a 2000 Chevrolet Astrovan, and Vicky Palacios, 54, riding in a Dodge Avenger where also killed in the crash when their vehicles were struck by the semi, prosecutors said.
An investigation found Espinal- Quiroz began work at 2: 30 a. m. that day but had falsified his log book to state he started work at 6: 15 a. m., prosecutors said.
Matthew Hendrickson
Woman charged with DUI in crash that killed siblings
Janay C. Hatley, of Maywood, 24, has been charged with DUI and reckless homicide following a crash that killed two siblings in west suburban Maywood.
The crash happened at 3: 48 a. m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of Ninth Avenue, police said. Hatley was speeding north on Ninth Avenue in a 2004 GMC Envoy when she crashed into a vehicle pulling out of a driveway.
Two people inside the second vehicle — 22- year- old Charlaine M. Shelton and 26- year- old Martrail D. Shelton — were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where they were pronounced dead, according to police. Matthew Hendrickson
Police: Man robbing Far S. Side businesses
Chicago Police are warning Far South Siders after three armed robberies were reported in the last month.
A man armed with a chrome handgun enters a business, orders the victims to the ground, and takes property from them and money from the register, according to a community alert from Area South detectives. The robberies happened:
at 6: 53 a. m. Jan. 24 in the 11400 block of South Stewart;
at 6 a. m. Feb. 11 in the 11600 block of S. Halsted; and
at 10: 15 a. m. Feb. 13 in the 600 block of West 119th Street.
The suspect was described as a black man between 20 and 25 , 5- foot- 8 to 5- foot- 11 and 150- 175 pounds with a medium to dark brown complexion and short hair, police said. He has a tattoo on his head and wears a scarf to cover his face.
He leaves the scene on a bicycle, police said.
Anyone with information should call ( 312) 747- 8273.
Sun- Times Wire
Police release sketch of man wanted in sex assault
A woman was sexually assaulted at knifepoint Monday in the South Side Washington Heights neighborhood.
The 22- year- old woman was walking east in the 9800 block of South Emerald Avenue at 8: 17 a. m. when a man drove up in a gray four- door Chevrolet and forced her into the car at knifepoint, according to police.
The suspect was described as a black man between 23 and 27, 5- foot- 7 to 5- foot- 9 and 140- 150 pounds with a light brown complexion, brown eyes, trimmed beard and slim build. He was wearing a black coat with a black hood with red writing on it; a black- and- gray skull cap, and green camouflage pants.
Police have released a sketch of the suspect, and anyone recognizing him should call ( 312) 747- 8273.