Two men are now facing illegal street racing charges after allegedly causing a crash in Naperville that left two passengers in one of the vehicles hospitalized with serious injuries, according to a press release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
18-year-old Jadon Ramirez of Bensenville and 23-year-old Sahil Chauhan of Lisle have each been charged with one count of aggravated street racing and one count of aggravated reckless driving causing great bodily harm, both Class 4 felonies.
Passengers severely injured after being ejected from vehicle
Just after midnight on April 26, Naperville police responded to a crash in front of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at 1155 E. Diehl Road, which allegedly occurred while Ramirez and Chauhan were racing.
At the scene, authorities discovered that a black Mercedes CLS500, allegedly driven by Ramirez, had crashed into a tree, injuring two of its four passengers who were ejected from the vehicle.
One victim was a 17-year-old male who suffered internal brain bleeding, a punctured lung, broken ribs, and a broken vertebra and scapula. He was unconscious at the scene when first responders arrived. The other victim, an 18-year-old male, suffered a broken arm.
It is alleged that before the accident, Chauhan, driving a blue 2024 Acura ZDX, was heading east on Diehl Road and Mill Street “when Ramirez stopped next to him, pointed at him, and gave a hand gesture implying that he wanted to race,” authorities said.
Vehicle was traveling more than twice the speed limit
Law enforcement investigations showed that the pair allegedly raced twice: first up to the traffic light at Washington Street and Diehl Road, with Ramirez reportedly hitting speeds of 90 mph. They then raced again, with Ramirez’s vehicle allegedly reaching speeds of 101 mph in a 40 mph zone.
It was during that race that Ramirez allegedly lost control of his car and hit the tree.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin thanked the Naperville Police Department for their help in the case and rebuked the two men for their alleged actions.
“Street racing is not just illegal, it is extremely dangerous not just for those behind the wheel, but also for their passengers, other motorists and nearby pedestrians,” said Berlin in the news release.
“There is absolutely no excuse for the type of dangerous and reckless driving alleged in this case,” said Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres.
On June 27, Ramirez made his first appearance in court, where a judge granted the State’s motion to detain him pending trial. He is scheduled to appear back in court on July 18.
Chauhan was granted pre-trial release but will be back in court on July 28.
Photo Courtesy: DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office
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