Prosecutors allege that a man who left court in June 2024, awaiting trial for a felony stolen vehicle charge, fatally struck a 25-year-old man just two weeks later. Prosecutors claim that Dujan Lucas, 24, ran a red light at high speed in another stolen vehicle, and he is now the 37th individual charged in Chicago that year with killing or attempting to kill while on felony pretrial release.
The sequence of events began on June 6, 2024, when Lucas faced charges for possessing a stolen Dodge Durango. According to a CPD report, the vehicle was reportedly involved in a shoplifting incident at a Louis Vuitton store inside Nordstrom, with approximately $22,000 worth of goods taken.
Two weeks after his court appearance, Lucas was allegedly driving a stolen black 2021 Jeep Cherokee SRT-8 at 73 mph. He reportedly ran a red light at 83rd Street and South Kedzie Avenue, leading to a collision with a white Honda HRV traveling west, as captured by a CPD surveillance camera.
Raul Palacios Carvajal, the lone occupant of the Honda, was driving home from work and was pronounced dead on the scene. Prosecutors say that Lucas and a passenger fled the site.
Investigators retrieved blood samples from the Jeep’s deployed airbag, which matched Lucas’ DNA, according to prosecutors. Upon learning these results and recognizing Lucas’ recent arrest for a stolen vehicle, investigators showed a crash site photo of the fleeing driver to the officer who initially arrested Lucas. The officer confirmed that the individual running from the Jeep was Lucas, as per a police report.
Judge James Murphy III has ordered Lucas to remain in jail while awaiting trial on charges of reckless homicide by motor vehicle and not reporting a fatal accident. The case concerning the 2024 stolen vehicle is still pending.
The “not horrible” series
This article continues our investigation into individuals accused of killing, shooting, or attempting such acts while on pretrial release for felony charges. CWBChicago launched this series in November 2019 after then-Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans stated publicly, “We haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the bond reform initiative.
The actual incidence of murders and shootings by individuals awaiting trial for felony charges is likely much higher than reported. Since 2017, CPD has filed charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, based on city data. All “not horrible” stories can be viewed here.
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