Police announced charges against a driver accused of fatally hitting a woman with his car and fleeing the scene, leaving her to die, on Lewis Avenue in Waukegan on New Year’s Day.
The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday to the area of Lewis Avenue and Jenkinson Court in Waukegan.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said a 911 caller reported a person down in the street and officers arrived to find the woman unresponsive.
Paramedics and officers arrived to find a 44-year-old woman who had been struck by a vehicle in the roadway, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
Banek said the woman, identified as Tiffany Thomas, 44, of North Chicago, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The woman was located on the east side of Lewis Avenue. Officers located some of Thomas’ belongings and vehicle debris around the northbound lane and parkway, Chastain said.
Lewis Avenue was shut down between Monroe Street to Washington Street for at least five hours during the investigation.
The Waukegan Police Department Major Crash Unit (MCU) responded to process the scene and investigate the crash.
The driver and vehicle involved fled the scene prior to officers arriving.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Shepherd said investigators searched for surveillance video and began using the Flock license plate reader system.
A vehicle driving in the area at the time was identified as a potential suspect vehicle based on debris at the scene.
The gray 2003 Toyota sedan was located in the 1300 block of North Frolick Avenue in Waukegan.
The Toyota, which was parked in front of the residence, had heavy front end damage, a cracked windshield and a missing side mirror, Shepherd said.
The side mirror was recovered at the scene of the crash and matched the car.
The vehicle was towed to the Waukegan Police Department and a search warrant was obtained for it the following day.
Chastain said the driver, identified as Victor Rivas-Martinez Jr., 22, of Waukegan, was arrested.
He was charged with aggravated driving under the influence causing death, failure to remain at the scene of a crash involving death and failure to report a crash involving death.
Shepherd said Rivas-Martinez Jr. had left a New Year’s Eve house party on the south side of Waukegan after having been observed drinking and being intoxicated.
Rivas-Martinez Jr. admitted to driving home alone from the party and hitting something, which he said he believed to be a raccoon.
Chastain said the damage to his vehicle was not consistent with a raccoon.
Rivas-Martinez Jr. was driving without a valid license and driving without proof of insurance, Chastain said. He was cited for those offenses but prosecutors have since dismissed those charges.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Rivas-Martinez Jr. pending trial.
“Despite not having a valid license and despite the ease of access to safe transportation such as Uber or Lyft, this defendant ended the life of Ms. Tiffany Thomas and he could not even bother to stop and call the police and render aid,” Shepherd said, calling the man’s actions “so egregious.”
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition following a detention hearing and remanded Rivas-Martinez Jr. to the Lake County Jail.
Rivas-Martinez Jr. is set to appear in court again on January 29 for a preliminary hearing.