A drunken motorist with no insurance drives wrong way down one-way Cragin street slammed into at least 15 parked cars — totaling some and sparking anger among neighbors during ‘wild’ situation early Sunday, police and victims say.
Juan M. Medina, 41, was released from police custody about six hours after crashes in the 5300 block of West Wellington Street, Chicago police said.
Medina’s run-in with the law began just after midnight Sunday when homeowner and neighbors heard loud crashes and went outside to investigate, according to David Huerta.
“I ran outside, basically the whole block was outside,’’ said Huerta, whose 2015 Nissan Altima was among those hit. “It was a big commotion.’’
Medina lost at least one front wheel of the 2003 Ford Explorer he was driving east on Wellington, which is one way going west, when he rammed into at least 15 parked cars on the north and south side of Wellington, police said.
Medina finally came to a stop — without front wheels — but still revving the engine and apparently trying to leave after jumping the curb at the corner of Wellington and Lockwood, said Huerta.
“He was trying to get away but he was stuck and he was so completely out of it that he didn’t realize his wheels were gone,” Huerta said.
Several neighbors began to try and approach Medina as he stayed in the SUV with tinted windows but then held back until police got there.
“He was revving it back and forth, back and forth,” Huerta said.
Luckily, Huerta’s Altima didn’t have that much damage after Medina sideswiped it — taking out the front light on the side of his car — but some of the 15 were a “total loss.
“It was a crazy night,” Huerta said.
No one was injured and Medina, who declined medical attention and who could not be reached for comment Thursday, was charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of a crash, and reckless driving, all misdemeanors.
Medina, of the 4600 block of West Altgeld Street, was also given tickets including operating an uninsurance motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving the wrong way down a one-way street, Chicago police said.
Another victim, a woman who owns a 2003 Mitsubishi damaged in the wreck who didn’t want to be identified immediately, said she’s not sure yet how much money she will need to come up with for repairs.
“Of course, everybody is upset — How are we going to get the cars fixed?”
Medina is due in traffic court on Feb. 14 at 9 a.m.
