Chicago officers ended an initial chase before state police encountered the vehicle and began a second pursuit.
CHICAGO — Investigators are reviewing a sequence of attempted traffic stops involving Chicago police and Illinois State Police before a vehicle plunged from a Cicero Avenue bridge, struck a freight car and killed all four people inside.
The early Sunday crash followed separate encounters with the two police agencies. Chicago officers briefly pursued the vehicle after it did not stop for them, police said, but ended that chase. State police later found a vehicle matching the same description, attempted another stop and pursued it after the driver sped away.
Chicago police said the investigation began with a report that someone inside a moving vehicle had pointed a gun at a person in another vehicle. Police have not released the precise location of the alleged incident, identified the caller or disclosed whether investigators recovered a weapon.
Officers found a vehicle matching the description given in the report and attempted to stop it, according to police. The driver continued fleeing, and Chicago officers began a pursuit before terminating it a short time later. Authorities have not publicly detailed how long that pursuit lasted or why officers ended it.
Illinois State Police later encountered a vehicle matching the description in the 5500 block of South Cicero Avenue. The driver stopped briefly but then drove away at high speed, Chicago police said. State police pursued the vehicle and requested assistance from Chicago officers.
The vehicle continued south before leaving the road in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue about 2:16 a.m. The roadway there passes over freight tracks near the boundary between Chicago and Bedford Park. The vehicle went over the side of the bridge and struck a boxcar below, authorities said.
Two young men and a young woman were pronounced dead at the scene. A 14-year-old girl was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition and later died. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified those killed as Cristofer Lopez Montan, 19, and Yuarem Garcia-Pena, 18, both of Woodstock; Yaritza Martinez Villeda, 17, of Crystal Lake; and Vanessa Morales, 14, of Palatine.
Authorities have not identified the driver or explained whether investigators determined which occupant was connected to the original report. Police also have not said how fast the vehicle was traveling, how far state officers pursued it or whether officers were close behind when it left the roadway.
No other injuries were reported. Officials have not released information suggesting that anyone aboard the train or working near the freight line was hurt.
The Chicago Police Department’s Investigative Response Team is examining the incident, and Illinois State Police also are investigating. Among the unresolved issues are what evidence supports the original gun allegation, what occurred during each attempted stop and what caused the vehicle to leave the bridge.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.