A teenager has been charged a year after the February 2023 fatal car crash in Robbins where police say three teenage boys stole a Kia and crashed it into a vehicle, killing 70-year-old resident Donald Carter, according to the Cook County state’s attorney and Carter’s family.
The boy, who was 14 at the time of the crash, has been charged with reckless homicide, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, failure to report an accident and criminal trespass to a vehicle, officials said.
He appeared in juvenile court Feb. 22 and was ordered held in custody. His next court date is March 25.
“Hopefully he can have a chance to be reformed and become a better person,” said Carter’s son, Desmond Carter.
A Cook County state’s attorney spokesperson said the office has not been contacted by Robbins police about additional charges. Robbins police Chief Carl Scott did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Carter said he asked the Cook County state’s attorney’s office about charges against the other two teenagers involved in the crash. He said he was told it would require the teenager facing charges to implicate the other two.
A Robbins officer reported seeing a Kia with a broken driver’s side window at about 2:30 p.m. Feb. 12, 2023, traveling north on Kedzie Avenue and followed it.
The Kia crashed into a Ford Taurus driven by Carter, who was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died from his injuries.
Three teenage boys in the Kia were arrested at the scene, but police said two days after the crash they were released to their respective parents. Police said they had to release the teens because under Illinois law they could only be held for 24 hours.
Initially, Robbins officials said three 13-year-old boys were involved in the crash. But, village officials told the Daily Southtown in May the ages were actually 17,15 and 14.
Mayor Darren Bryant fired Sheppard in April, with a spokesperson saying in a statement Bryant “wants some broader goals met and believes a change in the management of the department is needed to achieve these initiatives.”
Sheppard said he believed a factor in his dismissal was his questioning of directions he received from Bryant in the handling of the Carter’s vehicle. Sheppard said the vehicle was taken to a large building where public works vehicles and road salt are stored to keep it enclosed, because state police had not yet processed it for evidence in the crash investigation.
He said he was contacted by the mayor and told the car had to be moved because it was blocking public works vehicles. Sheppard said he contacted the public works director, who said that was not the case.
Bryant said in a text message Thursday it is about time charges were filed in the case and offered his continued prayers to those affected by the car accident.
Bryant said he hopes others involved in the car crash face justice.
“But these charges are the first steps to justice and addressing a juvenile justice system that needs revamping,” Bryant said.
Carter said when his family was informed about the charges, it was a sigh of relief the accident hadn’t been swept under the rug.
“I wasn’t expecting that. Me and my siblings were just thinking it’s been a year and no news. We were pretty happy,” Carter said.
akukulka@chicagotribune.com