Lincolnwood Man Charged With Murder Over Fatal River North Crash

CHICAGO — A Lincolnwood man is accused of the murder of a 66-year-old Wisconsin woman after he fled police in a stolen car and crashed into a taxicab in River North last week, according to police. Ammar Hussain, 27, of the 6700 block of North Le Mai Avenue, was charged with murder, four counts of aggravated fleeing police, one count of misdemeanor fleeing police and traffic violations.

Shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday, police ran the license plate on a Jeep Grand Cherokee and found it came back with no valid registration. But before they could pull it over, the Jeep sped away, running two red lights before crashing into a northbound taxi.

Both cars wound up on a sidewalk at Dearborn Street and Grand Avenue. Two pedestrians, a 48-year-old woman and 45-year-old man from England, suffered leg injuries and were taken to the hospital, according to the Chicago Tribune. The taxi's driver sustained minor injuries, but the woman riding inside did not survive.

The passenger was identified as Diana Lampsa, 66, a psychiatrist from Palmyra, Wisconsin, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Lampsa was in Chicago visiting her fianceé, who she had met more than a decade ago while studying at the Old Town School of Folk Music and planned to wed in the fall, according to the Chicago Tribune. She was returning home after attending a play at the Goodman Theater.

Cook County Circuit Judge John Lyke ordered Hussain ordered held without bail Saturday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He initially tried to run from the scene of the crash but was chased down and taken into custody by police.

According to WLS, the Jeep had been reported stolen from the 500 block of North State Street. Two passengers in the SUV were initially taken into custody but later released without charges.

Hussain is due back in court on Tuesday, according to sheriff's office records.

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