Police continued to search Tuesday for the driver of a hit-and-run vehicle that struck and critically injured a 26-year-old Channahon woman in Matteson Friday evening.
Angela Celmer was struck by a car when she stepped out of a rented party bus Friday on the way to a Blink 182 concert in Tinley Park, according to Matteson police. The band performed at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.
Celmer underwent surgery Saturday morning at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and remained in critical condition Tuesday, according to police. She suffered brain trauma in the accident.
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An off-duty paramedic who was in a vehicle near the scene of the incident immediately started performing CPR on Celmer, according to police.
Matteson police are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the driver of the older-model maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.
By Tuesday afternoon, a GoFundMe page set up for Celmer has raised more than $8,200 to help cover medical costs. The page says Celmer is a teacher of special needs children.
Officers responded at about 7:45 p.m. Friday to Vollmer Road and Richland Avenue. The accident happened in the in the eastbound lanes, two blocks west of Richland, according to police.
The rented bus contained about 25 people, including members of Celmer’s family, police said. It had stopped in the westbound lane due to heavy traffic on Vollmer, and the bus driver allowed several people to leave in order to urinate in a nearby field, reports said.
When traffic started moving again, Celmer reportedly tried to leave the stopped bus after the driver told everyone to get back on board and was struck by the approaching vehicle, police said.
The driver of the vehicle initially stopped, but later fled, according to reports. Police said the remaining occupants of the bus were interviewed and taken the Matteson Police Department. Some on the bus were traumatized by the accident, police said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Matteson Police Department at 708-748-5931.
The GoFundMe page can be found at www.gofundme.com/2cq7hdhg.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.