Wanted Convict Whose Wife Was Killed By Fed-Ex Truck On I-294 Arrested

SKOKIE, IL — Authorities said the woman who was killed by a truck on Interstate 294 on Saturday was married to a wanted Lake County man who was arrested shortly after the fatal crash but has, so far, not been charged over her death.

Colette Smith, 31, of Des Plaines, was struck and killed by a Fed-Ex tractor trailer around 1 a.m. after she somehow wound up on the interstate near Central Road in Glenview, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Giovanni Smith, 33, of North Chicago, was arrested about 15 minutes later after police tracked footprints in the snow from his wife's abandoned car, which was found near the intersection of Landwehr and Willow roads in Northbrook, prosecutors said Monday at a hearing in Skokie.

The same white sedan had been parked along the side of I-294 during the fatal crash, according to Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Nic Attia.

"The woman obviously either exited or was pushed out of the vehicle in the middle of the highway," Attia said.

The driver of the Fed-Ex truck told detectives that he saw another car managed swerve around the pedestrian and avoid hitting her, but he was unable to avoid the crash, according to the prosecutor.

The snowy footprints found by the abandoned car led Northbrook police to a gas station, where they met someone who matched the description of the man who was spotted kicking a woman and gave them a false name, later identified as Smith.

During a pat down, Smith took off running and slammed head-first into the face of an officer, who was left with a bloody nose and bruised face that required treatment at Glenbrook Hospital, according to the prosecutor.

Attia said police found a 9mm handgun in Smith's jacket pocket and a loaded magazine with hollow tip bullets on the ground next to him. The gun had previously been reported stolen and had a defaced serial number, the prosecutor said.

"He was the driver of the white sedan, and the white sedan was seen parked next to the highway," Attia said. "Before all that, of course, we have the domestic violence incident and both the victim and the defendant leaving from one location inside the white car."

Once Smith was taken into custody, police figured out his real name and learned he had an active arrest warrant issued by Lake County authorities after skipping out on the final day of three-day trial on charges of armed habitual criminal and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in August 2022.

Smith was convicted on both charges in absentia and sentenced the next month to 21 years in state prison — longer than was recommended by Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart's office — of which he would have to serve 85 percent, or nearly 18 years.

So far, Cook County prosecutors have charged Smith with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and resisting arrest, causing bodily harm to an officer.

"The fatality which occurred on I-294 is still under investigation," Attia said. "[Smith] is not charged with any offenses related to that incident at this time."

After spending some time in the hospital following his arrest, Smith was unable to attend his bail hearing Monday, where prosecutors sought to have him ordered held without bail. A hearing on that motion has been rescheduled to Thursday, and until then Smith will remain at Cook County Jail.