COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — James Brown might have intended to hurt someone Saturday night, as prosecutors contend, but it wasn't 35-year-old Marisol Mercado.
Brown, 34, limped into a Cook County courtroom Monday to face murder charges in the death of a the Humboldt Park mother, who was killed Saturday when Brown crashed into her car while fleeing police, prosecutors said.
Favoring his right side, Brown stood before a judge as Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Heather Kent alleged that he and a friend got into an argument in the 100 block of South Springfield Street in East Garfield Park at 11:35 p.m.
Brown allegedly left only to return a short time later with a gun. Kent said he jumped out of a maroon Pontiac Grand AM, raised the firearm he was carrying and started shooting.
The friend was struck twice in the left leg, Kent said.
Brown allegedly fled in the Grand AM, but police spotted him. When they tried to pull him over, Brown allegedly tossed a gun out of his driver's side window and kept going.
He sped through a red light and crashed into a Suburban with three people inside and a Saturn carrying four occupants, Kent said. Mercado, the driver of the Saturn, was killed, and the driver of the Suburban suffered a broken collar bone.
Mercado, of the 5700 block of West Grand Avenue, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital at 12:59 a.m. Sunday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Four other victims were treated at Mount Sinai, Norwegian American Hospital, West Suburban Medical Center and Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, respectively.
Brown is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, multiple traffic offenses, DUI and murder.
Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Brown held on $500,000 bond.
