Chicago crash that killed family matriarch prompts calls for speed bumps, surveillance cameras

Chicago pedestrian's death leads to safety push

A call to action after an elderly woman was hit and killed by a car on the city's southwest side.

CHICAGO - An 84-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a car in Garfield Ridge, sparking calls from her family for better traffic enforcement on a stretch of road long known by residents for speeding and street racing.

What we know:

Maria Ochoa was crossing the street Saturday evening when a two-car crash sent one vehicle careening into her. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Laramie in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood.

Police said the vehicles collided when one made a sudden turn, causing the other to flip and hit Ochoa. She was taken to the hospital and later died. Both drivers, including a 26-year-old man who received a citation, were not injured.

Ochoa was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family gathered Monday near the accident site to mourn their loss and push for safer streets.

What's next:

As Area One detectives continue their investigation, Ochoa’s son is calling for traffic calming measures like speed bumps and more surveillance cameras along Archer Avenue.