Source: Elgin teen hit in head with bat after being run over

Police say a Streamwood woman's sister and teenage son were in her car when she ran down and killed a 17-year-old Elgin boy who fought with her other son over a girl.

Timera D. Branch, 33, of the 200 block of Monarch Drive, faces first-degree murder charges in the Nov. 8 death of John W. Keyes III of Elgin.

According to recent court documents, Branch was with her 32-year-old sister and 13-year-old son when her 1991 Chrysler Imperial crushed Keyes against an apartment building on the 200 block of Center Street.

After the crash, court documents say, her other son, a 16-year-old, hit Keyes in the head at least twice with a baseball bat, taunting, "Who's talking (expletive) now?"

Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Greg Sams said the investigation was ongoing Wednesday. He declined to comment on the likelihood of additional charges.

"As with many cases, there still is some level of investigation going on, even with one person already charged," Sams said.

Keyes' relatives have said the teen was killed the day after he punched Branch's 16-year-old son the night before as the two argued over a girl at a party.

Around 4 p.m., police say, Branch was driving and talking on a cell phone when she spotted Keyes and asked, "Is that him?" before she "immediately accelerated" into the teen. Her 16-year-old son arrived with four or five friends in another vehicle, court records say.

Keyes was bleeding and unresponsive when police arrived, and he died a short time later at Sherman Hospital. Police said Branch fled to nearby Kimball Street.

"The vehicle struck Keyes with such force that there was severe damage to the front end hood of the vehicle, air bag deployment and a flat front driver's side tire," police said in an affidavit for a search warrant. "Officers on (the) scene were able to follow a fresh trail of leaking fluid from the undercarriage of the vehicle back to the scene of the crime."

Elgin Police Lt. Sean Rafferty declined to comment other than to say police were in possession of Branch's vehicle. "We don't want to lose any evidence," he said.

Branch, whose next court date is Friday, remained in the county jail Wednesday with bond set at $1 million. Her attorney has not responded to requests for comment.