Iconic images of quiet residential streets shattered by tragedy often linger long in community memory. Such is the case in the 5600 block of S. Natchez Ave., where last summer, the lives of a 67-year-old bicyclist and a 33-year-old man diverged irrevocably in sorrowful circumstances. According to the Chicago Police Department, Michael Kelly of the 5500 block of S. Natchez Ave. has been charged with a felony count of Aggravated DUI/Accident/Death.
The fatal incident unfolded on June 24, 2023, when Kelly, now facing the gravity of his actions, is alleged to have struck the unnamed senior while operating a vehicle under the influence. The outcome was as immediate as it was tragic: the death of an elder member of the Chicago fold. Over a year later, on July 8, 2024, the Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, alongside Major Accident detectives, arrested Kelly at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the 5100 block of S. Wentworth Ave., marking a pointed pause in what has been for the community, a lengthy wait for the wheels of justice to turn.
A detention hearing at 2600 S. California on the day subsequent to the arrest suggests proceedings are underway in earnest. Details are sparse, and the department has disclosed no further information regarding the incident or subsequent capture.
