Waukegan murder suspect scolded for flashing gang signs in court
A 22-year-old man charged with killing one person and injuring four others by driving an SUV into a crowd after a soccer match in Waukegan was chided Tuesday by a Lake County judge after he was spotted flashing gang signs in court.
The courthouse staff reported seeing Prisciliano Carranza of Waukegan showing gang signs as he left court after a brief appearance before Judge Reginald Matthews. When told what occurred, Matthews ordered Carranza to stand before him again.
"You are facing the highest charge known to man," Matthews told Carranza. "You stand innocent until proven guilty. I would hate it if you compound your situation by your conduct in court."
Matthews told Carranza that he must comport himself properly in the courtroom then ordered that his bond be altered to specifically prohibit him from communicating with gang members or flashing gang signs.
Carranza is scheduled to return to court Thursday.
Police said the Waukegan man was arrested early Oct. 5 while driving a black 2010 GMC SUV that matched the description of an SUV that barreled into a crowd outside the Lake County Sports Center late the previous night. The vehicle had heavy front-end damage when Carranza was arrested, police said.
Jose Ochoa-Martinez, 40, of Waukegan, died from his injuries. Two men in their late teens and a 10-year-old girl, all related to the man who died, also were hit, as was a man in his 20s.
Matthews also barred Carranza from contacting members of the victims' families.
Carranza remains at the Lake County jail on $5 million bail.