Zion man charged with DUI in fatal I-94 crash

A 41-year-old Zion man is facing a felony driving under the influence charge after police say he fatally struck a man who was standing outside a semitrailer truck Friday along Interstate 94.

Marco A. Vital Tapia appeared in bond court Sunday, where a judge ordered him held without bail, according to a news release from state police.

An investigation determined a semitrailer truck was pulled over on the right shoulder of southbound I-94 at Dempster Street in Skokie just after 3 p.m. Friday, officials said. The driver was on top of the trailer inspecting the load, while a passenger was standing outside near the front of the truck.

Vital Tapia was driving a Honda in the right lane when he veered off the roadway, swerved onto the right shoulder and hit the truck passenger, identified as Abdelrazig F. Khalil, 55, of North Carolina, police said. Khalil was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said Vital Tapia continued driving for about a mile before eventually pulling over. The Cook County state's attorney's office on Saturday approved charging him with one count of aggravated driving under the influence involving death.