LINCOLN PARK — The 26-year-old man charged with killing a Bridgeport man in a hit-and-run is an admission counselor at DePaul University, the school confirmed.
Kyle Hawkins of suburban Broadview was charged in the death of 23-year-old Bridgeport resident Phillip Levato in the 800 block of North LaSalle Street early on Nov. 20. According to police, Hawkins drove off in a white Jeep after striking Levato as he crossed the street.
Police said Hawkins turned himself in Wednesday and admitted hitting Levato. He was charged in bond court Friday with failure to report an accident resulting in death, a felony. Bail was set at $40,000.
Maywood attorney Luther Spence, who represented Hawkins in court, called the incident "purely an accident ... whether he fell asleep or dozed off."
According to police, Levato was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police reported that part of Hawkins' car fell off in the area of the accident, and it had the vehicle identification number on it.
DePaul confirmed Tuesday that Hawkins was an admission counselor at the university, but did not give any additional information on whether he faced any discipline or dismissal, calling it a personnel matter.
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