I-290 Chain-Reaction Crash Kills Man

Illinois State Police said a four-vehicle chain-reaction crash on westbound Interstate 290 near Ashland Avenue in Chicago early Sunday killed a 25-year-old Wheaton man and injured six other people. The agency said Jose F. Perez Marin, 21, of Chicago, was arrested after investigators alleged he was driving under the influence when his GMC SUV struck a Toyota SUV at about 2:59 a.m. on May 17. The crash happened on the outbound Eisenhower Expressway west of Ashland Avenue, near Rush University Medical Center, according to state police and CBS Chicago. Benjamin M. Farraday, a passenger in the Toyota, was taken to a hospital and later died, state police said. ### Who was charged, and what do prosecutors say he did? Illinois State Police said Perez Marin was charged on May 19 with one count of aggravated driving under the influence involving death, one count of aggravated DUI with no driver’s license, and one count of aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved those charges, according to an ISP press release. Perez Marin remained in custody at the Cook County Jail pending his first court appearance, the agency said. (isp.illinois.gov) ABC7 Chicago identified the defendant as Jose F. Perez Marin and reported that he was arrested after being released from a hospital. Illinois State Police said the charges are not evidence and that Perez Marin is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. ### How did investigators say the crash unfolded on I-290? State police said Perez Marin was driving a GMC SUV westbound on I-290 when he rear-ended a Toyota SUV. (isp.illinois.gov) That impact set off a chain reaction involving two additional vehicles, according to the agency’s account. Farraday was riding in the Toyota when the crash occurred, police said. CBS Chicago reported that traffic was backed up on the outbound Eisenhower before 3 a.m. when one vehicle hit another and triggered the four-car crash. (isp.illinois.gov) Eight people from the vehicles were taken to hospitals, and one of them later died, CBS reported, citing Illinois State Police. The ISP press release said Perez Marin and five other people were injured. ### What was happening on the expressway before the collision? ABC7 Chicago reported that troopers had first responded around 11:20 p.m. Saturday to a shooting involving a motorcyclist on westbound I-290 at California Avenue, about a mile east of the later crash scene. The station said the motorcyclist had been shot and crashed, citing Illinois State Police. (cbsnews.com) CBS Chicago reported that all lanes were shut down at California Avenue for that investigation and said police did not specify whether the closure caused the traffic jam in which the later crash happened. ABC7 likewise reported that the later crash occurred while closures were in place for the earlier shooting investigation. Neither report said investigators had formally linked the two incidents. (abc7chicago.com) ### Who was the man who died? Illinois State Police identified the dead passenger as Benjamin M. Farraday of Wheaton. The agency said he was 25 years old and was taken from the scene to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. Daily Herald and other local outlets also identified Farraday as a Wheaton resident, matching the state police account. The available public statements reviewed did not provide additional biographical details about him. (cbsnews.com) ### Where can the public look for the official record next? The Chicago Police Department says traffic crash reports can be purchased through its records system for $6, with amended reports priced at $1.50. (isp.illinois.gov) The department lists records customer service at 3510 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago and says service hours are Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (dailyherald.com) Illinois State Police said Perez Marin’s next step is a first court appearance in Cook County, though the agency’s May 19 release did not list a date. Court filings and any updated charging information would be expected through Cook County court records and future statements from prosecutors or state police. (isp.illinois.gov) (chicagopolice.org)