Orland Park Man, 43, Charged In Mall Crash That Killed Palos Hills Man: PD

ORLAND PARK, IL — A 43-year-old Orland Park man has been charged in connection with a multi-car crash that killed a Palos Hills man in June, Orland Park police said Thursday.

At approximately 10:52 a.m. June 28, Orland Park Police Department (OPPD) responded to the intersection of 149th Street at LaGrange Road for a traffic crash involving multiple vehicles. Officers at the scene began the investigation and determined the vehicle driven by Prakash Patel was traveling northbound on LaGrange Rd. at a high rate of speed.

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According to police, Patel's vehicle struck three other vehicles also traveling northbound on LaGrange Road. Two of those vehicles were forced off the roadway, where one struck a 66-year-old male pedestrian—identified as Antoni Luczynski—who was standing on the southeast corner of LaGrange Road at 149th Street.

Luczynksi, who was waiting at a bus stop, suffered life-threatening injuries. The Orland Fire Protection District and officers on scene began lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Seven people total were transported to area hospitals, where they were treated and released.

A crash report detailed that Patel reportedly told police at the scene that he thought he'd suffered an epileptic seizure, and that he did not recall the events leading up to the crash. He said he regained consciousness afterward, according to the accident report.

Surveillance footage from the area captured the accident, showing the Tesla Patel was driving traveling "significantly faster than the flow of traffic," according to the report.

The Orland Park Police Department's Traffic Unit conducted the fatal crash investigation.

On Aug. 19, Orland Park police arrested Patel without incident. The Traffic Unit worked closely with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and Patel was charged with reckless homicide, two counts of aggravated reckless driving, misdemeanor reckless driving, and 14 additional traffic violations.

Patel will attend his first appearance at the Cook County Fifth Municipal District Courthouse in Bridgeview Thursday, police said.

Orland Park Police thanked the Illinois State Police, the Orland Fire Protection District, the Palos Fire Protection District and the Village of Orland Park's Emergency Management Agency for their assistance with this investigation.