Driver is accused of fleeing deadly North Side crash
A man is accused of causing a fiery collision and rollover that led to a woman’s death on a North Side highway.
Dominic Rodriguez, 30, was arrested Thursday and charged with a collision involving death. Bail was set at $100,000. He was released Friday after posting bond.
A judge ordered GPS monitoring as part of Rodriguez’s bond conditions, court records show.
At 3 a.m. March 1, police said Rodriguez was driving a 2024 Ford Bronco Sport south on the U.S. 281 on-ramp to Northeast Loop 410 when he rear-ended a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup.
Eden Nuval, 76, was driving the truck when the impact sent her vehicle crashing into a barrier before rolling over onto its passenger side. Rodriguez ran from the scene without rendering aid to Nuval as his own SUV caught fire, according to an arrest affidavit.
EMS took Nuval to a local hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
During the accident, the affidavit stated that Rodriguez’s cellphone was connected to his SUV and dialed 911. Investigators noted that an automated voice said the SUV crashed at 19 mph.
Rodriguez told a dispatcher he needed help at “281 South Alamo 281.” The dispatcher clarified, “31 South Alamo,” and Rodriguez said yes.
A door is heard closing, and Rodriguez stops talking to the dispatcher. The cellphone number and the SUV are registered in
Rodriguez’s name.
On the day of the accident, officers went to the address where the SUV was registered, but Rodriguez was not there, according to the affidavit.
When a detective later called Rodriguez and said he was investigating a crash involving the SUV, the affidavit stated that Rodriguez could not explain why the SUV was involved in the collision.