A DePaul University student and a Malcolm X College student were killed in a car accident on Lake Shore Drive, Friday, March 15, after an off-duty North Chicago police officer allegedly drove on the wrong side of the road while intoxicated.
Fabian Torres, 27, was a first-year DePaul student. Joaquin Garcia, 25, was set to graduate from Malcolm X College in May, and aspired to be a surgical technician. Both were traveling southbound on Lake Shore Drive in a black Jeep at around 4 a.m. when Terrell Garrett, 35, collided head-on with his Chevy Trailblazer.
According to Huffington Post Chicago, a judge set Garrett’s bail at $500,000 at a hearing March 18. Garrett allegedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.184 – more than double the legal limit – according to prosecutors at the hearing. Garrett celebrated his birthday on the same day as the accident.
Garrett is charged with two felony counts of reckless homicide and two felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence. In statement released Friday, the North Chicago Police Department said they “immediately relieved Officer Terrell Garrett of his police powers and has placed him on administrative leave pending the outcome of the Chicago Police Department’s investigation.”
Asuccion Torres, Fabian’s mother, told WGN-TV Monday that it wasn’t right Garrett has special treatment because he is a police officer. “That’s what so wrong about our state, that’s what’s so wrong about our city, that they will work with each other,” said Torres. “They don’t care about our pain, they don’t care about our children, they don’t care about their lives.”
Torres said police officers should be held to a higher standard. “There should be no favoritism,” said Torres. “They have a power, they should not abuse it, and between these city agencies … they are abusing their power.”
Cecilia Garcia, Joaquin’s mother, said she was heartbroken about the accident. “I don’t know how to feel about… that this man comes out with a bail bond and gets to walk home,” said Garcia. “Our kids never will come home to us, never.”
Garnett is recovering from injuries and is in serious condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to Huffington Post Chicago, and did not attend the hearing.
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