I-290 Crash Kills Uber Passenger

Illinois State Police said a four-vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 290 near Ashland Avenue early on May 17 left one passenger dead and several other people injured. Authorities identified the dead passenger as Benjamin M. Farraday, 25, of Wheaton, who was riding in a Toyota SUV when it was struck from behind, according to state police. Jose F. Perez Marin, 21, of Chicago was later arrested and charged with aggravated DUI involving death, aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm and aggravated DUI with no driver’s license, police said. Prosecutors said in court that the GMC Yukon Perez Marin was driving was traveling 65 mph 2.5 seconds before impact, according to Patch’s account of the hearing. ### Where did the crash happen, and when? Illinois State Police said troopers responded at about 2:59 a.m. on May 17 to a crash on I-290 westbound west of Ashland Avenue in Chicago. Police said Perez Marin was driving a GMC SUV when he rear-ended a Toyota SUV, setting off a chain reaction involving two additional vehicles. ABC7 Chicago reported the crash scene was about a mile east of an earlier shooting investigation on westbound I-290 at California Avenue. (isp.illinois.gov) State police told the station a motorcyclist had been shot and crashed around 11:20 p.m. on May 16, and lane closures were in place while that investigation continued. ### Who was killed, and who was hurt? Illinois State Police identified the dead man as Benjamin M. Farraday of Wheaton. State police said Farraday was a passenger in the Toyota SUV and was taken to an area hospital, where he died of his injuries. State police said Perez Marin and five other people were also injured in the crash. Patch’s summary of the court hearing described Farraday as an Uber passenger and said four other people were injured, but the Illinois State Police release said five other people besides Perez Marin were hurt. (abc7chicago.com) ### What do prosecutors say happened in the seconds before impact? Patch reported prosecutors told a judge that traffic had been stopped for about a minute because of congestion before the crash. (isp.illinois.gov) The same report said the Yukon’s electronic data recorder showed the vehicle was traveling 65 mph 2.5 seconds before impact. Patch also reported that the Toyota was carrying three passengers who were returning to Wheaton after celebrating a friend’s graduation. (isp.illinois.gov) That detail did not appear in the Illinois State Police release, which described the Toyota only as the vehicle that was rear-ended. ### What charges has Jose Perez Marin faced? Illinois State Police said the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved three felony charges on May 19: aggravated DUI involving death, aggravated DUI with no driver’s license and aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm. (patch.com) Police said special agents arrested Perez Marin after he was released from the hospital. The Chicago Sun-Times and ABC7 Chicago both reported Perez Marin was 21 and from Chicago. (phillipslawoffices.com) The Sun-Times reported he was being held in custody while awaiting trial, while state police and other local outlets said he remained in the Cook County Jail pending his first court appearance. (isp.illinois.gov) ### What remains unresolved? Cook County court proceedings are the next public step in the case. Illinois State Police said on May 19 that Perez Marin remained in custody at the Cook County Jail pending his first court appearance, and the Cook County clerk’s online case system is the public portal for docket updates. (isp.illinois.gov) (chicago.suntimes.com)