CHICAGO, Illinois — A mother of five is gone, and her family is left with more questions than answers after a devastating hit-and-run on one of Chicago’s busiest expressways.
Candace Collins, 36, was killed Sunday night after she was struck by a passing vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 57 near Halsted Street on the South Side. The driver who hit her did not stop. Other vehicles then struck her as well.
Illinois State Police are now investigating the crash.
A Night Full of Unanswered Questions
Collins had been riding in an SUV when she got out onto the shoulder for reasons that remain unclear. Shortly before 9 p.m., a passing vehicle hit her at what police say is typically an 80-mile-per-hour stretch of highway.
The man driving the SUV got out to help her and was struck by another vehicle. He survived and has since been released from the hospital.
“How did she end up on the expressway where cars are driving typically 80 miles per hour?” said her cousin, Cameisha Jackson.
State Police are reviewing all expressway camera footage in an effort to identify the vehicle that first struck Collins.
Five Children Left Behind
On Thursday night, loved ones gathered in West Englewood to remember Collins — described by family as someone who was always smiling and always full of energy.
Her youngest, 8-year-old Triston, is autistic. He has been asking the family when his mother is coming back.
“I don’t think they fully understand as of yet,” Jackson said. “Triston doesn’t know at all.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with burial expenses and ongoing care for all five children.
“We just want to continue her legacy through her children,” Jackson said.
Do you have any information about this hit-and-run? Drop it in the comments — every detail could help bring answers to this family.
