On August 7, 2022, at approximately 8:42 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the intersection of Mattis Avenue and John Street for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. The driver was reported to have fled the scene. Upon arrival, officers located a 28-year-old Champaign man in the roadway with significant life-threatening injuries and immediately started rendering medical aid. He was transported to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
An investigation by the Champaign Police Department indicated the victim and the driver of the vehicle that fled were known to each other. The victim was in a separate vehicle and exited his vehicle to confront the driver near the intersection. The driver, a 31-year-old Champaign man, struck the victim with his vehicle and fled southbound on Mattis Avenue, according to witnesses. An Illinois State Police traffic crash reconstructionist responded to assist Champaign Police with the investigation. While officers were on scene, the driver returned to the scene and surrendered to police. The driver was arrested and transported to the Champaign County jail where he is being held on a charge of Murder, pending formal charges.
Although an arrest has been made, the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information is asked to please contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements may be made for information to be shared privately. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Champaign Police reminds citizens that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers, and conversations are not recorded.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.