Man Believed To Be Driver In Fiery River North Crash Found Dead Of Suicide

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jun 27, 2017 4:50PM

Ontario Street near the Kennedy Expressway onramp

The man believed to be the driver who fled the scene after Monday morning's horrific, fiery crash near the Kennedy Expressway onramp, in River North, was found dead later that evening.

Sources close to the crash investigation told ABC7 that the driver was Anthony Milder.

Milder, 34, of the 1800 block of North Wood Street, in Bucktown, was found dead at 6:23 p.m. on Monday in a residence on that same block, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. He died from suicide by hanging, the medical examiner said.

A police spokesperson told Chicagoist that "detectives are continuing to investigate the crash on Ontario" but declined to comment further.

At around 1:30 a.m. on Monday morning, the driver of a 2009 Nissan Coupe was speeding in the 400 block of West Ontario Street, just ahead of the Kennedy Expressway onramp, when the car struck two utility poles and burst aflame, according to police and reports. A female passenger, identified as Alejandra Damian, 21, was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver managed to flee, police said, even as the vehicle was split in two and charred nearly beyond recognition.

The car belonged to another man, who had leant it to a friend for a charity car wash, according to ABC7.

This post has been updated.