A man from Chicago is facing prosecution after allegedly causing a fatal accident while speeding through a stop sign, which resulted in the tragic death of an 81-year-old bicyclist. Despite these serious charges, he will remain free as he awaits trial.
Edgar Carrera, 37, is accused of leaving the scene after the collision that resulted in the death of Andrzej Gromada, who was a longtime resident of the Southwest Side. According to prosecutors, Gromada was riding his blue bicycle westward on 56th Street near Rutherford Avenue on October 15, 2023, when Carrera allegedly failed to stop at a stop sign and struck him with a black Mercedes SUV.
The impact threw Gromada onto the pavement, rendering him unconscious. He succumbed to his injuries the following morning. A witness informed the police that the SUV involved stopped momentarily before fleeing the scene.
Chicago Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Unit recovered the damaged bicycle at the scene along with an Illinois license plate that they located on the ground. They quickly traced the plate back to a Mercedes registered to Carrera’s girlfriend, according to prosecutors.
Upon visiting Carrera’s residence, officers reportedly discovered the vehicle parked in a garage, which had a dented hood, a piece of plastic lodged in its grill, and blue paint streaks on the bumper that matched the color of Gromada’s bicycle.
Initially, Carrera told detectives he thought he had merely hit a pothole. However, DNA evidence collected from the interior of the SUV indicated him as the driver, and forensic testing confirmed that the blue paint found on the Mercedes matched that of Gromada’s bicycle. Prosecutors allege that Carrera eventually admitted to driving the vehicle but continued to deny that he hit a person.
During the proceedings, Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara highlighted that Carrera never notified the authorities about the crash, did not return to the site of the accident, and only acknowledged his role after investigators confronted him with evidence.
Despite the severity of the charges, Judge Ankur Srivastava denied a petition from Pekara to detain Carrera and instead released him pending the trial.
CWBChicago was established in 2013 by five community members from Wrigleyville and Boystown who were dissatisfied with the inaccuracies that plagued local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage has since expanded to include Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and various other North Side neighborhoods. Our mission, however, remains steadfast: to deliver original public safety news that offers better context and increased detail compared to mainstream media outlets. For inquiries, you can reach us at our editorial email, news@cwbchicago.com.
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