Villa Park Man Strikes Teen With Car, Then Leaves: Cops

VILLA PARK, IL – A Villa Park man was arrested Monday after he struck a 13-year-old bicyclist and dragged him before driving off, authorities said.

Joel Lazaro, 50, was charged with the felonies of failure to report an accident involving personal injury and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury or death.

About 7 p.m., the 13-year-old boy was crossing the road at Elm Street and Princeton Avenue when Lazaro, who was driving a Toyota Venza, went through the intersection and struck the youth, according to a news release from DuPage County prosecutors. Lazaro then dragged the boy about 25 feet before the victim became dislodged from the car, police said.

Lazaro drove away without checking the boy's condition, but officers identified Lazaro through an investigation, prosecutors said. A couple of hours later, officers saw a Toyota Venza in Lazaro's driveway. The car had apparent signs of being involved in a crash on the front side, police said.

The 13-year-old was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the news release.

"The alleged actions of the accused are reprehensible," Villa Park Police Chief Michael Rivas said in the release. "When a driver of a motor vehicle strikes anything on the roadway, that driver has an obligation to stop and report the incident."

DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden denied prosecutors' request to jail Lazaro before his trial.