Driver In Fatal Fiery I-55 Uber Crash Charged With DUI: Report

CHICAGO, IL — The man driving the car that rear-ended an Uber ride Sunday morning in a fatal fiery crash on I-55 has been arrested. The Chicago Tribune said Rami Matariyeh, 22, of Homer Glen, is due in court Tuesday on charges of reckless homicide, failure to report an accident causing death, aggravated driving under the influence, failure to report an accident causing injury and other violations, according to State Police and Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. Jamie Poulos, 23, of Berwyn, was a passenger in the car Matariyeh is accused of rear-ending while headed southbound on I-55 at Damen Avenue, according to the news report.

Authorities said Matariyeh was drunk when he left in another ride-share vehicle, according to The Chicago Tribune. Illinois State Police ran the license plates on Matariyeh's car and Will County sheriff's police were at his home when his Uber ride arrived with him inside it, asleep. The news source said Matariyeh was treated for his injures and taken into police custody.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Poulos' mother, Andrea Poulous said her daughter was out celebrating her 23td birthday with friends, and had said how hurt she was that her daughter chose a sober ride home but that it ultimately made no difference in her safety.

Poulos' Uber driver Shantilal P. Patel, 47, of Schaumburg, was able to escape the car fire that killed Poulos and injured the two other passengers, authorities said, according to the Daily Herald. The fire broke out after Patel was headed southbound on I-55 at Damen Avenue on the South Side of Chicago when his 2011 Hyundai sedan was rear-ended by a (Matariyeh's) 2015 Infiniti sedan and caught fire, Illinois State Police said, according to the news source. State police said the incident took place at 3:19 p.m. which led to all lanes on the interstate being shutdown and traffic diverted to Damen Avenue by 3:26 p.m., according the Daily Herald.

While Patel and passengers Alexander J. Kariott, 22, of Berwyn and Anastacio L. Morales, 23, of Lyons were able to be removed from the flame-filled car, state police said Poulos could not be removed and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Daily Herald reported Kariott and Morales were hospitalized in stable condition, police said.

More: Uber Passenger Dies In Fiery Crash: Police

Police added that the other passenger in Matariyeh's car, Brianna R. Woods, 24, of Bolingbrook, was taken to the hospital in serious condition, according to the Daily Herald. The news report added that according to state police, all lanes were reopened by 11:09 a.m. Sunday, and authorities are continuing their investigation.