Prosecutors allege that a tractor-trailer driver was on his phone when he fatally struck a motorist changing a tire on a suburban expressway last month.
Shortly before 5:30 a.m. on June 24, Sebastian Stone, 23, was hit and killed by a vehicle while he was replacing a flat tire on his black Honda on the right shoulder of I-80 near Torrence Avenue, according to prosecutors. When Illinois State Police arrived, they found Stone deceased, but the vehicle involved had fled the scene.
A witness, however, provided comprehensive details about the tractor-trailer, including its trailer number, truck number, and the trucking company, prosecutors said. By 9 a.m., state police had confirmed through license plate reader data that the vehicle described by the witness was in the vicinity. They also learned from the trucking company that Kulgeet Kang, 34, was operating the truck that morning, according to prosecutors.
Within two hours, the company’s owner reached out to Kang regarding the incident. Kang ended the call abruptly, according to a prosecution report. Police tracked down Kang that afternoon, confiscated his phone, and acquired dash cam footage and other records from the trucking company, prosecutors stated. Kang was released as the investigation continued.
Through the investigation, state troopers found that Kang was using his phone at the time he hit Stone on the expressway, and confirmed he did not stop, offer help, or report the incident, as per the allegations.
Judge Rivanda Doss Beal approved the state’s request for detention, highlighting that Kang drives professionally, and there was no feasible way to restrict his use of electronic devices while driving. Kang faces charges of reckless homicide and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
