A 26-year-old Naperville Man accused of leaving the scene after fatally striking a bicyclist with his vehicle had his bond set at $500,000 during a bond hearing this morning.
The accused is charged with one count of Failure to Report an Accident Involving Death, a Class 1 Felony.
On July 4, at approximately 10:49 p.m., West Chicago police officers responded to a call of a hit and run involving a vehicle and a pedestrian near Joliet Street and Wilson Street. Upon their arrival, officers found the victim, forty-year-old Renato Vargas-Gutierrez, in a grassy area with his bicycle partially underneath him.
Vargas-Gutierrez was unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Following an investigation into the matter, it is alleged that Vargas-Gutierrez was riding his bicycle southbound on Joliet Street when he was struck by the accused’s vehicle, who was also traveling southbound on Joliet Street. It is further alleged that after striking Vargas-Gutierrez, the accused fled the scene in his vehicle. Authorities located him near the area of Stevens Court and Continental Drive approximately four minutes later.
“It is alleged that after striking Mr. Vargas-Gutierrez with his vehicle, instead of contacting authorities or remaining at the scene to aid his victim, Mr. Gray fled,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin said. “I offer my sincerest condolences to Renato’s family and friends on their loss and wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and friendship they once enjoyed with Renato. I thank the West Chicago Police Department for their swift response to this incident. Because of their efforts, the defendant in this case was quickly apprehended not far from the scene and now faces up to fifteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if convicted. “
The accused’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 3, 2023, for arraignment in front of Judge Mia McPherson.
