Police: Missing Chicago man, 88, struck, killed by motorist

An 88-year-old Chicago man reported missing by relatives died hours later after being struck by a car as he crossed the city's Lake Shore Drive, police said.

Reynaldo Soria was pronounced dead at a hospital after he was hit about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday along North Lake Shore Drive in the Uptown neighborhood, police said Thursday.

Soria, who had dementia, made a trip into the city Wednesday morning. Relatives filed a missing-person report Wednesday evening, fearing he was lost, after he didn't return home despite telling his wife in an afternoon phone call that he was on his way home.

Relatives mounted their own search for Soria, who had 20 children and lived in Irving Park neighborhood. They were still looking for him when police informed them early Thursday that he had died after being hit by a car.

'œWe knew he was somewhere looking to get home,'ť his daughter, Catalina Soria Vlamakis, told the Chicago Tribune. 'œAt first I was like '~This is not happening, right? This is not happening. It's not true.''ť

Police said the 63-year-old motorist who struck Soria told officers that another car in front of him had swerved just before he saw a pedestrian. He said he tried to swerve to avoid striking him.

Police said their investigation into Soria's death remained open Thursday and officers were reviewing city surveillance video of the collision.