CHICAGO — A Bridgeport woman attended a concert at the United Center and drank tequila before fatally striking a man in a drunken hit-and-run, prosecutors said Friday.
Patricia Cucinotta, 53, of the 3200 block of South Lowe Avenue, was charged with fleeing the scene of an accident and one felony count of aggravated DUI in the Dec. 9 incident that led to the death of 56-year-old John Deweese, who was homeless, police said.
Her bond was set at $75,000 Friday.
Deweese died of a traumatic brain injury a week after the incident, which took place in the 300 block of South Damen Avenue, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said.
Prosecutors did not say which concert she attended, but Robin Thicke performed at the KISS-FM's Jingle Ball that night, with other artists incluing Enrique Iglesias, Flo Rida and Avril Lavigne.
Cucinotta, who works at the United Center in food services, parked in the employee lot the night of the concert, said prosecutors, adding that she also told police she took shots of tequila that night.
While driving south on Damen Avenue, a witness — another United Center employee — saw her driving "too fast" along the icy street, prosecutors said.
She blocked both lanes of traffic and then drove onto the curb, prosecutors said. Deweese was pushing a cart while walking on the street near the curb. Cucinotta hit Deweese from behind, flipping him onto her hood and then onto the pavement. The witness said Cucinotta did not slow down before or after she allegedly hit Deweese, prosecutors said.
Police spoke to her five days after the accident and found her car at an autobody repair shop, prosecutors said.
