A 37-year-old bicyclist is in critical condition after a semi truck slammed into him and took off early Friday on Chicago’s Southwest Side, police said. The crash happened around 6:50 a.m. in the 6400-block of South Kedzie Avenue in the Marquette Park neighborhood, as the rider, who was heading north, tried to make a left turn. He suffered a serious head injury and was taken to Christ Hospital in critical condition. The truck driver did not stop, and the Chicago Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Unit has opened an inquiry.
Police account
According to ABC7 Chicago, officers say a semi traveling southbound on Kedzie hit the bicyclist as he attempted his turn, then kept going. ABC7 reports that no other injuries were immediately listed and that the crash remains under active investigation.
Investigation and possible charges
The case has been assigned to the Chicago Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Unit, which handles serious traffic crashes and often issues community alerts seeking witness information. Under the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-401), drivers involved in crashes that cause personal injury are required to stop and identify themselves. Leaving the scene of an injury crash can result in felony charges under state law.
Southwest Side safety context
This latest hit-and-run adds to a series of severe crashes hitting the Southwest Side this spring. NBC Chicago reported an April 5 collision near West 63rd Street and South Kedzie that killed a cyclist and left another person critically injured, heightening neighborhood concerns about fast traffic and dangerous arterial streets.
Anyone with information about Friday’s crash is asked to contact the Chicago Police Major Accident Investigation Unit. The department’s public notices list a tip line and options for submitting information to investigators. The situation is still developing, and outlets that first reported the incident say police are expected to release further updates as they become available.
