27-05-2025
Chicago crash that killed family matriarch prompts calls for speed bumps, surveillance cameras
The Brief
Maria Ochoa, 84, was struck and killed while crossing Archer Avenue on Saturday.
Two vehicles collided at Laramie and Archer; one car flipped and hit Ochoa.
Family members are calling for speed bumps and more cameras in the neighborhood.
CHICAGO - An 84-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a car in Garfield Ridge, sparking calls from her family for better traffic enforcement on a stretch of road long known by residents for speeding and street racing.
What we know
Maria Ochoa was crossing the street Saturday evening when a two-car crash sent one vehicle careening into her. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Laramie in Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
Police said the vehicles collided when one made a sudden turn, causing the other to flip and hit Ochoa. She was taken to the hospital and later died. Both drivers, including a 26-year-old man who received a citation, were not injured.
Ochoa was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family gathered Monday near the accident site to mourn their loss and push for safer streets.
What's next
As Area One detectives continue their investigation, Ochoa's son is calling for traffic calming measures like speed bumps and more surveillance cameras along Archer Avenue.
The Source
FOX 32's Nate Rodgers reported on this story.
