Chicago woman charged in fatal crash on Eisenhower Expressway that killed two teens – NBC Chicago

A 21-year-old woman faces multiple charges in connection with a traffic accident on the Eisenhower Expressway that left two teenagers dead, authorities said.

According to the Illinois State Police, Chicago resident Ashanti Gates is charged with two counts of drunken driving, two counts of vehicular manslaughter and endangering a child.

The accident occurred in the exit lanes near Damen Avenue in Chicago. At around 3:04 a.m., police officers were dispatched to the scene for a multi-vehicle crash, authorities said.

According to police, a white Toyota sedan with its hazard lights on was pulled onto the right shoulder because of a flat tire. The three occupants of the car had gotten out to change the flat tire.

At that point, a black Hyundai Sonata driven by Gates crashed into the parked car and two of its occupants, who were changing tires.

The two victims, 18-year-old Erik C. Cox of Rolling Meadows and 18-year-old Shaelyn M. Sherwood of Hoffman Estates, were pronounced dead at the scene. The third occupant of the sedan was not hit.

“I felt like my insides were spilling out of me. I was doubled over,” Sherwood’s father, Devan Sherwood, told NBC Chicago. “I ran into her room. I looked around. Her shoes were there, her slippers were there. She wasn’t there.”

A memorial service for Sherwood was organized by one of her friends in Rolling Meadows, which included decorating the trunk of a tree with candles and flowers, where her loved ones gathered to remember her.

“She really brightened up every single room she walked into,” Sherwood’s father said.

A four-year-old boy was among the five occupants of the Hyundai driven by Gates. Gates, the child and another occupant were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Gates is currently being held in police custody in Chicago.