A Kendall County woman has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in a crash on Interstate 294 near Hillside that killed an off-duty Chicago Ridge police officer last month.
Sara Lopez, 22, of Bristol, was scheduled to appear Saturday for a bond hearing in connection with the death of Steven Smith, 27, following the crash Sept. 13, according to a release from Illinois State Police.
Lopez was driving a Toyota Camry south in the northbound lanes of Interstate 294 near Cermak Road on Sept. 13 about 3:45 a.m. when she hit a Dodge Neon traveling north. The Neon spun out and hit a Chevrolet, also traveling north.
Lopez had non-life threatening injuries but Smith, a passenger in the Neon, was killed in the incident. The driver of the Neon, Smith’s cousin, survived.
Smith, who was unmarried, joined the Chicago Ridge force in October 2010 as a part-time officer and became full-time in February. Smith had served as a Marine and was still in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.
