After a high speed rear-end crash that scattered the two crash vehicles about one-quarter mile apart on Sunday about 1:45 a.m., police have charged a Lincolnwood man with multiple charges. Jose L. Colon, 21, is charged with murder, aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident in the death of Samee Mohammed Ranginwala, 26, of Minnesota.
Colon was driving a 2001 Audi more than 100 mph southbound on Interstate 94 north of Touhy when he rear-ended a 2003 Geo Tracker driven by Samee Mohammed Ranginwala.
At least four witnesses saw Colon racing with another dark-colored car. One witness estimated Colon’s car was going more than 150 mph when it clipped an Illinois Department of Transportation truck before the fatal crash with the Geo Tracker. Both vehicles left roadway into a ditch west of the Edens Expressway, but Ranginwala was severely entrapped in his vehicle with fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Immediately after the crash, Colon fled the scene before police and paramedics arrived. A witness had seen the driver from the Audi get in another vehicle on the Edens, The driver of an unknown third car picked up the Audi driver and sped away. State Police who responded to the accident checked the registration of the Audi, and contacted Lincolnwood Police, who went to Colon’s home, in the 3800 block of West Wallen Avenue in Lincolnwood, Colon’s home is less than two miles from the crash site.
Lincolnwood police saw Colon being dropped off at his house, and officers moved toward him as he walked to his home. When Colon saw the Lincolnwood police, he ran toward his home, and he resisted arrest when police caught up with him.
Colon was transported to Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston with non-life-threatening injuries. At the hospital blood tests showed he had alcohol and chemical traces of marijuana in his system.
Investigators report that Colon admitted to being the driver of the Audi that hit the Geo. Their report says that after the crash, Colon said he looked at the Geo and thought it “looked fine,” so he ran away because he didn’t want to get caught with an expired driver’s license.
Lincolnwood Man, Jose Colon, Charged with Murder, Aggravated DUI, Leaving Scene of Edens Crash
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— Cardinal News (@EarlyReport) April 3, 2014
Jose Colon (police photo).
Jose L. Colon was ordered held in lieu of $125,000 bail in a hearing before Cook County Skokie Branch Court Judge Paul Pavlus Wednesday morning. If released on bail, Colon will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol dependency evaluation. He also be required to take random drug and alcohol tests, and be placed on electronic monitoring.
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