Prospect Heights police won't say who stole car
Prospect Heights police said the word of one survivor is not enough for them to ever conclusively declare who actually stole the car involved in last weekend's fatal crash.
But they charged Daniel Ascencio, 17, of 1020 Boxwood Drive in Mount Prospect with criminal trespass to vehicle Thursday, a misdemeanor that will be prosecuted in juvenile court.
“He didn't take the car, but he was aware that it was stolen,” Prospect Heights Police Chief Jamie Dunne said.
Killed in the crash were Ascencio's friends, 16-year-old Jessica Ferrer of Arlington Heights, 15-year-old Elibeth Solis of Arlington Heights and 16-year-old Freddy Najera of Mount Prospect.
Dunne said Ascencio told investigators that the four had drank beer and smoked marijuana at one of their homes before they decided to go looking for unlocked vehicles to steal from.
Ascencio related that one of the girls found a 2002 Honda Accord on the 700 block of North Eastman Drive in Mount Prospect with its keys still inside.
The four then reunited at about 2:30 a.m. last Saturday and went speeding around the area for about 30 minutes before they crashed into a pair of trees on the lawn of a Prospect Heights home. Ascencio, who was in the passenger seat, was the only occupant wearing a seat belt.
Though Ascencio is laying the blame for the theft on someone unable to give her own side of the story, the investigation will never conclude who was actually responsible, Dunne said.
“We have concluded the criminal aspect of the investigation, but are continuing to work on the traffic aspect,” he said. Police are awaiting toxicology tests on the deceased.
The misdemeanor charge against Ascencio is being prosecuted in juvenile court.
A double funeral for Ferrer and Solis was held Thursday in Arlington Heights.
Najera's funeral Friday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel in Des Plaines was attended by about 100 family members and friends. The service was in Spanish.
Afterward, Rodolfo Martinez said when he lost a family member at a young age, it was his friend Freddy Najera who helped him through the difficult time. Now, Martinez said he didn't know how he would make it through the loss of that same friend who was always there for him.
“This one is real hard,” Martinez said. “Freddy was a great guy, always sharing and helping. He was just a joyful person.”
Ÿ Daily Herald correspondent Jeff Engelhardt contributed to this report.