Man charged with murder in woman's death during police chase

CHICAGO (AP) - A man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Chicago has been charged with murder in the death of a woman whose SUV was struck by a pursuing police car, authorities said Saturday.

Marcel Oliver, 22, is charged with first-degree murder, vehicular hijacking, possessing a stolen vehicle and failure to report an accident causing injury, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He also faces three counts of aggravated fleeing causing injury.

Oliver wasn't listed in online jail records and police said Saturday that they didn't know whether he has an attorney who might speak on his behalf.

WLS-TV reported that Oliver was still hospitalized Saturday morning. Local media previously reported that Oliver was in police custody at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The hospital did not immediately respond to a request for information on Oliver's status on Saturday morning.

Police said Wednesday night's pursuit began when Chicago officers saw a Jeep possibly connected with a homicide and several shootings. The driver of the Jeep crashed and jumped into a Nissan SUV left running at a gas station and drove away again.

Police said officers were continuing to chase the Nissan when a marked squad car with its sirens on hit a Ford Explorer on the city's North Side. The 37-year-old woman driving was taken to a hospital, where she died.

The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the woman as Guadalupe Francisco-Martinez.

The driver of the Nissan later crashed into a pole and police arrested him after a short foot chase, authorities said.

Police must follow a 'œbalancing test'ť when deciding whether to give chase, pursuing only those wanted for a serious crime such as murder or armed robbery while weighing risk factors such as traffic volume and road conditions.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this week that the department's policy on pursuits and officers' training will be changed.