Families demand accountability in fatal Lake Shore Drive fire crash

Growing calls for accountability against migrant

An update to a story we brought yesterday. A grieving mom is calling on the Chicago police and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office to charge an undocumented migrant.  The man owns the car that caused the crash but says he was the passenger not the driver when it all went down.  Tia Ewing is hearing from another family that wants accountability.

CHICAGO - A grieving mother says she is still searching for answers weeks after a deadly crash on Lake Shore Drive claimed the lives of her son and his best friend.

What we know:

Stephanie Hartley lost her 23-year-old son, Prince Jamel Sullivan, in the early morning hours of November 23.

According to Chicago police, Sullivan’s Chevy Malibu was stalled on the side of the road near the 3900 block of South Lake Shore Drive with its hazard lights on when it was struck by a speeding Kia Forte that ran a stop sign.

The collision sparked a fire, killing Sullivan and his high school friend, Deanna Kulovitz, at the scene. EMTs with Superior Ambulance witnessed the crash and later told investigators the Kia caused both the collision and the fire.

The Kia Forte is registered to Miguel Angel Navarrete Palacios. Palacios is an undocumented migrant from Ecuador but claimed he was not driving, telling officers a man he had just met was behind the wheel.

RELATED: Chicago mother demands justice after deadly Lake Shore Drive crash involving migrant

That man, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as Isaias Rodriguez, was found unconscious at the scene and later died at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Hartley says she does not believe Palacios’ account and is frustrated that no one has been taken into custody.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office confirms it could not find a valid driver’s license for Palacios. The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment.

Prince Sullivan was a recent Northern Illinois University graduate with a degree in business management and human resources and had just started his career at People’s Gas.

Attorney statement:

Clifford Law Offices has been retained to represent the family of Deanna Kulovitz. In a statement, partner Joseph Murphy said his firm is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the crash and will pursue accountability for those responsible.

Murphy said Kulovitz’s family is "shattered," adding that they are entering the holidays "with an empty seat at the table" following the loss of their 23-year-old daughter, who dedicated her career to public service as a 911 call taker with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Insurance statement:

In a statement, Kemper Insurance said it could not comment on specific policyholders or claims, citing privacy policies.

"This is a tragic situation, and our thoughts are with everyone affected," the company said. "As a matter of policy and privacy, we do not comment on individual policyholders, coverage details, or claims activity."

What's next:

The Chicago Police Department’s Major Accidents Division continues to investigate the crash.