Evanston police are still seeking the driver of a white SUV that struck and seriously injured a local business owner nearly two weeks ago.
Yun Park, who owns Soapie’s Cleaners at 1231 Chicago Ave., was crossing Chicago Avenue at Dempster Street about 6:20 a.m. on Feb. 8 when a white SUV eastbound on Dempster turning left onto Chicago struck her and left her laying in the street.
Dawn Okamoto of the nearby Secret Treasures Antiques posted a surveillance video to Instagram showing the incident. She says Park suffered a fractured skull in the collision and is still hospitalized after spending 10 days in the intensive care unit.
Friends of Park have organized a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money to help her with her recovery.
Update 11:15 a.m.: Police Cmdr. Ryan Glew says it initially appeared to Fire Department paramedics who responded to the scene that the victim had fallen as the result of “a medical event” and that she was unable to tell them what had happened. They transported her to Evanston Hospital.
He says that about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 police were contacted by the victim’s daughter, who said her mother had been the victim of a hit and run and showed a responding officer surveillance footage that captured the incident.
Glew says the vehicle in the surveillance video resembles a Nissan Rogue, but that the SUV and its driver have not been identified.
He says police are continuing their investigation, which includes searching for and reviewing additional surveillance footage.
Anyone with information that could aid the investigation is asked to contact the police traffic bureau at 847-866-5079 or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637) and start the message with EPDTIP.
The police should have investigated right away as a possible hit and run or mugging and reviewed the cameras. Why did we have to bring it to their attention 10 days after the 911 call? The injuries were obviously not from something as simple as a fall – she was in the ICU with massive swelling, a fractured skull and black eyes. I think the police really messed this one up and need to be held accountable. It’s incredibly disappointing. Speaking with the family and being involved since the beginning of this I can’t help but wonder if the police and fire were biased by the fact that they pick so many people up from Greenwood and Albany care in this area that they didn’t properly investigate. The doctors knew right away that this didn’t make sense from a fall. Why didn’t first responders?
The driver and car has not been found! It has been over 2 weeks now since the hit and run happened. We need to be checking every camera in the city, on Northwestern campus, and surrounding areas for this light or white color Nissan Rouge. This is a crime that can and should be solved.
Surprised only (2) comments were posted about this unfortunate event. Hopefully, more community input, better EMS coordination, as well as continuing criminal investigation efforts by EPD will lead towards a conviction of the SUV driver. Does not appear that this happening, or perhaps this event is no longer newsworthy.