West Chicago man charged in fatal Hanover Park hit-and-run
An 83-year-old man has been charged in the hit-and-run crash that killed a woman riding her motorcycle in Hanover Park, authorities said Wednesday.
Ramon M. Barajas, of the 800 block of East Grand Lake Boulevard in West Chicago, is charged with leaving the scene of accident involving death and failure to yield in connection with the Monday accident that killed 30-year-old Christina Jankowski. Police said her address was in Elmhurst, but the DuPage County coroner's office said she lived in Elgin.
DuPage County Judge Joseph Bucos set bail at $50,000 Wednesday.
Authorities say Barajas failed to yield around 8:20 p.m. Monday when he turned left at Army Trail and County Farm roads, causing the collision with Jankowski.
Witnesses told investigators a gold or tan sedan, possibly a Mercury, driven by a man wearing a baseball cap struck Jankowski's motorcycle. The vehicle left the scene driving south on County Farm Road, police said.
Barajas turned himself in to police Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Police Chief Joe Ciancio said.
The most serious charge against him is punishable by up to 15 years in prison if he's convicted.
Barajas' attorney Tim Martin said Barajas, who is known to walk regularly at nearby Stratford Square Mall, is a 38-year resident with no criminal history. Barajas also suffers from dementia, he said.
Martin said Barajas turned himself in after his family realized what had happened.