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Davidadeathwaspreventablecharges•)cousinDrag-racing accident debatedBy GILDA WILLIAMSThe cousin of a 12-year-old girl who was killed during an alleged drag racing incident Thursday evening charged the Chicago Heights Police Department with negligence, saying the accident could have been prevented.Police vehemently reject the charge.“If they (police) had been doing their job, this fatality could have been prevented,” said Calvin Ghiles.Dead is Davida Coleman of 332 N. Boston St., a student at Forest Trail Junior High School in Park Forest.Ghiles, a member of the neighborhood group — The Beacon Hill Development Organization, said neighbors had called the police earlier in the day to request police help in stopping drag racing they say was occurring in the neighborhood.But a spokesman for the Police Department said no such call was received by the department.Ghiles said, “At the time that phone call was made — around 2 p.m. — drag racing was going on on Lawrence Street. But no police showed up. And the accident happened later on Boston Street around 6:30 or 7 p.m.Davida was walking with her older sister, Carla Haynes, 28, to the 1’ brary when she was struck by a w. police say was driven by a University Park man, Anthony Johnson, 19, 928 White Oak Lane.Johnson was allegedly drag racing with a Chicago Heights man, Gregory L. Jennings, 19, 585 W. Hickory St.Both men have been charged with reckless homicide.According to police, the pair were apparently racing westbound on Boston Street when Johnson went through a stop sign and struck Davida as she was crossing the street at Ashland Avenue.(Please turn to Page A-2)
Newspaper Details
Chicago Heights Star
Chicago Heights, Illinois, US
Sun, Jun 24, 1990
Page 1
Full Page
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USA 14 Jun 2023
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