It was supposed to be a regular Sunday night ride through the city, but it turned into a nightmare in a matter of seconds. Candice Collins, a 36-year-old Chicago resident, was traveling in a sport-utility vehicle along Interstate 57 on the city’s South Side. Everything changed in an instant around 8:51 p.m., leaving a family broken and a community searching for answers.
The SUV pulled over onto the shoulder of northbound I-57, right near 99th Street and Halsted Street. Candice stepped out of the vehicle and onto the paved shoulder. Out of nowhere, a passing car came rushing down the lane, struck her full force, and kept right on going without ever hitting the brakes.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene as fast as they could, but the damage was already done. Candice suffered terrible injuries from the impact and was pronounced dead right there on the expressway. In a flash of taillights, a vibrant 36-year-old woman was gone, leaving behind a dark stretch of highway filled with shock.
The nightmare did not stop there for the people in that SUV. Seeing what happened, a male companion who was riding with Candice jumped out of the vehicle to try and reach her. Moments later, a second passing car struck him as well. Paramedics hurried him to a local hospital for emergency care, where he remained under medical supervision.
As news of the crash spread across Chicago, social media started blowing up with intense theories. Posts began circulating online claiming Candice might have been running away from another car right before she stepped onto the highway. However, state police officers have not confirmed those claims, leaving the community guessing about what really happened.
For the friends and loved ones of Candice Collins, the painful reality is almost too much to bear. They are left grieving a terrible loss while trying to make sense of a senseless act. It is hard for anyone to wrap their mind around how a driver could hit a person on the side of the road and simply drive away into the night.
Illinois State Police District Chicago is currently leading the investigation to find the driver responsible. Investigators are reviewing every lead and asking anyone who was driving on I-57 Sunday night to come forward. A grieving family is desperate for justice, and finding out what happened to Candice remains the top focus for local authorities.
Leave a Reply