EDGEWATER — The driver of the pickup truck that went airborne after striking a concrete retaining wall on Lake Shore Drive and Hollywood Avenue in Edgewater, killing a passenger, was charged with reckless homicide and held over the weekend on $350,000 bond, court records show.
Christopher Peacock, 33, of Griffith, Indiana, and his girlfriend, Jillian Tsirtsis, 33, of Crown Point, Indiana, were driving northbound on Lake Shore Drive on Sept. 3 when he drove into the barrier near the 5700 block of North Sheridan Road at 7:25 p.m., causing the dark green Chevy Colorado truck to fly into the air at least 200 feet from where he hit the barrier before it stopped.
Tsirtsis was ejected from the car and died on the scene from her massive injuries. Reports from the Tribune state that the pair were on their way to see Lenny Kravitz perform at Ravinia.
According to court records, witnesses who saw the accident say Peacock was driving between 80-100 miles-per-hour in the 40-mph zone. Peacock tested positive for opioids, court records show.
He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital in Lakeview and arrested around 8 p.m. that night. He posted bond shortly after midnight Labor Day, according to police.
The crash caused lanes to be blocked for several hours between Foster and Hollywood, but were reopened by 11 p.m. Investigators roped off the scene and could be seen canvassing the area near Kathy Osterman Beach and the lakefront path. Car remnants could be seen strewn across the roadway and park.
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