Chicago Man Charged In Crash That Killed Tinley Park Man Changing Tire

CHICAGO, IL — A 40-year-old Chicago man has been arrested and charged in connection with an April 7 crash that killed a 28-year-old Tinley Park man.

Octavio Lara Chavez has been charged with aggravated DUI involving death and aggravated DUI involving great bodily harm after police allege the truck he was driving left the roadway on I-55, striking another car and two pedestrians on the road shoulder.

Nikolas Hutto was one of two struck on the right shoulder of the Stevenson Expressway southbound near Cicero Avenue. Hutto died from his injuries.

<< Read also: Tinley Man Killed Changing Tire Was 'Awe-Inspiring' Marine: GoFundMe >>

Illinois State Police say that a Hyundai Sonata was stopped on the right shoulder with three pedestrians outside the Hyundai attempting to change the passenger side tire.

A Dodge pickup truck driven by Lara Chavez left the roadway and veered onto the right shoulder, striking the Hyundai and two of the pedestrians. One pedestrian, later identified as Hutto, was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries and later pronounced dead. A second pedestrian was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. The third pedestrian was uninjured.

Lara Chavez was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

On April 9, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the charges against Lara Chavez. Lara Chavez is being held pending a detention hearing.