Passenger testifies Lewis tried to frame him

First, Ralph Lewis nearly got Cordellro Webb killed. Then, Lewis tried to pin on Webb responsibility for the car crash that claimed the life of Corey Diamond, testified Webb Wednesday during the second day of Lewis' first-degree murder trial in the death of Diamond, a 16-year-old Eagle Scout.

Webb was a passenger in the U-Haul truck driven by Lewis on July 23, 2006, the day Lewis led police from several North and Northwest suburban jurisdictions on a high-speed chase that culminated in the crash at Dundee and Schoenbeck roads in Wheeling, killing Diamond and severely injuring Elliott Cellini, the driver of the car in which Diamond was riding.

According to testimony, the chase followed a mini-crime spree at Gurnee Mills, during which Lewis used a fake driver's license to obtain credit to purchase items totaling more than $1,600 at three separate stores. But when he tried to buy items at a Home Depot, employees became suspicious and he fled in the U-Haul with Webb and Daysha Freeman, a clerk from a previous store who agreed to go out with him after he bought five cell phones from her.

Webb, 21, who has been convicted of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of identity theft and is currently in jail on a parole violation, testified that Lewis drove at a high rate of speed. He also testified that he could see a police car pursuing them in the side rearview mirror. Frightened, Freeman tried to call the police but Lewis snapped her phone shut, said Webb, who said he has known Lewis since childhood and referred to him several times as "Boo Man."

Freeman wasn't the only fearful passenger.

"I was afraid of crashing," said Webb, who at one point tried to belt himself in but was unable to because the seat belt was broken. "I kind of knew something was going to happen. I knew we were going to crash into something or crash into somebody."

Western Springs resident Dina Sabatino was returning home from Wisconsin with her family that day when she noticed a U-Haul "barreling down the expressway ... coming up at a speed that scared us."

"I was afraid we were going to get hit," she said, adding that her husband swerved to get out of the way. "He went by us as if we were standing still."

Webb also said that after the crash at Dundee and Schoenbeck roads, both men exited the truck and Lewis told him, "Run, 'Cuz."

Police apprehended both men near the scene. When they brought Webb back to the van, Webb said Lewis asked, "Why were you driving like that?" suggesting that Webb, not Lewis had been behind the wheel.

Lincolnshire police officer Brian Balinski testified that he first encountered the U-Haul on Milwaukee Avenue and Half Day Road a little after 8 p.m. that day "driving extremely quickly and accelerating extremely quickly." Balinski testified he observed Lewis maneuvering in and out of traffic, driving into oncoming traffic and driving in the median. Balinski also testified that Lewis ran at least four red lights.

Lincolnshire officer Andrew Markoya said he clocked Lewis driving 80 mph per hour at Milwaukee Avenue and Aptakisic Road, forcing cars to move out of his way.

"He didn't stop," said Markoya. "He didn't attempt to slow down."

The prosecution also called to the witness stand Buffalo Grove retirement planner Matthew Haid. Haid was driving north on Milwaukee waiting to make a left turn onto Aptakisic when he observed the southbound truck pull into oncoming traffic.

"I realized if I didn't do something, this truck was going to hit me," he said. Had pulled quickly to the right. The truck, which he estimated at traveling 70 mph, passed within six inches of his car.

"I thought he would crash into me and probably kill me," he said.

He wasn't the only driver who feared for his life that day. Stuart Cohen, who was stopped at the light at Milwaukee Avenue and Inverrary Road, thought the same thing. The U-Haul went by so fast, it shook Cohen's car.

"I thought, this could be it," he said. "This car is going to hit us."

If convicted of first-degree murder, Lewis could receive from 20 to 60 years in prison. Testimony resumes Thursday.

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