Teen Driver Charged In Crash That Killed 14-Year-Old Girl: Police

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A 17-year-old boy has been charged in an accident that left a 14-year-old girl dead and severely injured other teen passengers in Palos Heights. The teen driver was arrested Monday following a month-long investigation, police said.

Palos Heights police responded to a three-car accident the evening of Dec. 27 near West College Drive and Princeton Lane. When officers arrived, three teens had been ejected from a Honda Civic.

The injured teens were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition. Madison Harrison, 14, of Alsip, died of her injuries. She was a freshman at Eisenhower High School.

The Honda Civic, carrying six teens, was driving eastbound on College Drive when police said it left the roadway to pass an eastbound vehicle. The Honda re-entered the roadway and veered into the westbound lane of College Drive, where it collided head on with a Chevy Tahoe and another vehicle, police said.

Detectives were able to download a teen passenger’s cell phone, where the GPS placed the Honda’s speed at 60mph in a 45mph zone, police said. Evidence gathered at the accident scene also showed that the Honda left the roadway. Witnesses told police the driver of Honda has been driving recklessly prior to the accident.

The 17-year-old driver is charged with one count of reckless homicide and four counts of aggravated reckless driving. The teen was transferred to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center.