Woman Charged With Reckless Homicide, Street Racing In Fatal Aurora Crash

AURORA, IL — An Aurora woman is facing reckless homicide charges, among other charges, in connection to a July 24 crash that killed a 45-year-old man, police said Monday.

Aurora resident Gerardo Cuatzo was killed as a result of a multi-vehicle crash near East New York Street and North Eola Road.

Traffic crash investigators determined the crash was a result of street racing between Ailisa Gutierrez, 20, and a motorcycle, with the woman exceeding speeds of 100 mph while driving in a Dodge Challenger. Approaching Eola Road, Gutierrez made a sudden lane change into the right turn lane, struck a curb and lost control, according to police.

The Challenger became airborne and collided with three cars stopped at a red light before rolling over multiple times, police said. Cuatzo was killed, and two other people were injured.

Gutierrez was taken into custody on Nov. 20 after a warrant was issued for her arrest on Nov. 11. The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office authorized the following charges against her:

• Reckless homicide (2 counts)
• Aggravated street racing
• Reckless driving (2 counts)
• Speeding 35-plus mph over limit
• Improper lane usage (2 counts)
• Following too Closely
• Failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident
• Speeding

Gutierrez was released on a pretrial hearing and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 18.

"Driving is a privilege, not a right," DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin said in a statement. "The allegations that Ms. Gutierrez was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour just seconds before crashing her car into several vehicles, killing Gerardo Cuatzo, are shocking. I offer my sincere condolences to Gerardo's family and friends. Losing someone suddenly can be devastating to a family and I wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and support Gerardo once provided."

In his statement, Aurora Police Chief Keith Cross said the incident is an example of what results from reckless driving.

"While nothing can undo the pain caused to the Cuatzo family, we remain committed to ensuring accountability and protecting our community from such reckless behavior. Our thoughts are with all who have been impacted."

The city reported multiple street-racing incidents over the summer, including another crash in July that injured two people.

Related:

• 33 Citations Issued In APD's Crackdown On Street Racing, Car Meetups
• Ordinance Drawn To Combat Surge Of Drivers Attempting To Evade APD