Dec. 27--A 22-year-old man was ordered held in lieu of $750,000 after being charged Sunday with killing a pregnant woman in a West Side hit-and-run accident on Christmas Eve. Her baby survived.
Silvestre Garcia, of the 2700 block of South Harding Avenue, was charged with a felony count of aggravated driving under the influence in a fatal accident, a felony count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence. He was also cited for driving with an open container of alcohol and a defective windshield.
He appeared before Judge Donald Panarese Jr., who ordered Garcia held in lieu of $750,000 bail at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
Karla Leanos, 26, was walking across the street in the 4200 block of West Ogden Avenue about 9:50 p.m. on Christmas Eve when she was hit by a dark 2008 Chrysler sedan traveling west, a Chicago police spokesman said. The driver failed to stop and fled the scene, police said.
Leanos, of the 3000 block of South Keeler Avenue, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and later pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
After the crash, medical personnel delivered the baby, who is expected to survive. The baby is listed in stable condition, police said.
