A 71-year-old driver has been charged in response to a hit-and-run accident they caused that seriously injured a pedestrian Oct. 1, according to the Evanston Police Department.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has since charged Dale D. Peterson, of the 700 block of Junction Drive, Allen, Texas, with one Class 4 felony count of leaving the scene of a crash causing an injury or death and two traffic citations for a pedestrian right-of-way at crosswalks violation and general speed restrictions violation.
Evanston first responders arrived at the scene of the accident on Oakton Street and Hartrey Avenue at approximately 4:35 p.m. Oct. 1, following a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle, a department news release said.
Police found an adult woman at the scene unresponsive with serious head injuries, according to the news release.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital by first responders for emergency medical treatment. She is now in stable condition, police said.
A police investigation determined that the woman was walking within a marked crosswalk area when she was struck by Peterson, who was driving a white Chevrolet Traverse traveling west on Oakton Street, the news release said.
Peterson continued driving “without stopping” after hitting the woman, according to police.
An individual who witnessed the crash called 911 and provided initial aid to the victim, along with providing a video of the accident to police, Commander Chelsea Brown said.
With support from the Skokie Police Department, Evanston emergency communications personnel tracked the vehicle into Morton Grove, where Morton Grove police located and detained Peterson, per police.
The cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies is what led to the successful identification and arrest of Peterson, Brown said.
Investigators have since processed and towed the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run and have obtained search warrants for additional evidence related to the crash, according to the news release.
Peterson is no longer in custody and was scheduled to appear before a judge at the Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, on Oct. 6.