A young woman returning home from celebrating her birthday was burned alive early Sunday when the Uber she was riding in was struck by a drunken driver, Cook County prosecutors said — a crash that “destroyed my family’s life,” the victim’s mother said.
The crash happened about 3:20 a.m. Sunday as both vehicles involved in the crash were headed south on Interstate 55, authorities said.
Rami Matariyeh, 22, of Homer Glen faces charges of reckless homicide and aggravated DUI involving death, as well as multiple charges related to leaving the scene of the crash.
“You destroyed my family’s life,” Andrea Poulos told the Chicago Sun-Times. “You destroyed — all the people who knew Jamie — all of their lives.”
At a bond hearing Tuesday, prosecutors said Matariyeh had been drinking the night before the crash and was driving home with a 23-year-old woman. Marariyeh was speeding as he “dodged cars” in and out of lanes on the expressway.
The woman in the car with Matariyeh allegedly “begged” him to slow down and shut her eyes as he drove because she was afraid, prosecutors said.
At the same time, an Uber was taking home 23-year-old Jamie Poulos, who was out with friends and celebrating her birthday, and two of her friends. Poulos was a manager at a Starbucks who lived in Berwyn.
When Matariyeh’s 2015 Infiniti Q50 collided with the back of the Uber driver’s Hyundai, the Hyundai vehicle burst into flames, prosecutors said.
One passenger in the Uber, identified by his sister as Anistasio Morales, was able to get out of the burning car. He then helped remove the 47-year-old man Uber driver and a 22-year-old woman who was his friend from the burning car.
Morales went back to the car to try to pull out Poulos, but her legs were trapped inside and she was “burned alive,” prosecutors said. Morales was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with burns to his hands and the 22-year-old woman was taken to Stroger Hospital with second-degree burns. The Uber driver suffered minor injuries.
A Lyft driver who was not involved in the crash, but pulled over to assist, then took Marariyeh to a gas station in Oak Lawn and allegedly heard Marariyeh muttering “What the f— did I do?” in the backseat during the ride, proscutors said.
The Lyft driver then left Marariyeh at the gas station and called police. Marariyeh then hailed an Uber that took him home to Homer Glen. Will County sheriff’s officer’s arrived at the house before Marariyeh did and were able to take him into custody until he was handed over to Illinois State Police.
Prosecutors said a blood draw showed Marariyeh had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.213 sometime after 5 a.m. and that multiple witnesses that interacted with Marariyeh after the crash described him as intoxicated.
He was on probation at the time of the crash for a speeding violation, prosecutors said.
A private defense attorney for Marariyeh said he lives with his parents and had graduated from Lockport High School. Marariyeh was working as a subcontractor, the attorney said.
Marariyeh’s father attended the hearing but did not stop to talk to reporters after court was dismissed.
Judge Sophia Atcherson ordered bail set at $100,000 for Marariyeh and told him that if he posts bond he was not allowed to drive, drink or take drugs. Atcherson also ordered electronic monitoring as a condition of bond.
Hero saved some, tried to help Poulos
After the hearing, Morales’ sister, Guayni Quesada, said her brother and his friends were being responsible by taking an Uber home after celebrating Poulos’ birthday.
Quesada said Marariyeh needed to get help and pleaded for people to stop drinking and driving.
“Seriously guys, stop drinking and driving,” Quesada said while fighting tears. “What is the problem?”
Andrea Poulos said she first tried to have some compassion for Matariyeh, but that became harder when she learned more details of the crash.
“Part of feeling was feeling a little bit compassionate, because I realize we’re kids — we do something dumb — but the more I’m learning … I don’t get driving like a lunatic.” she said.
“I know what he’s going to be going through, and I wanted to ease that pain for him. You say it’s never going to happen to you, but it’s devastating. You’re broken. It’s your child.”
She said she didn’t understand why he allegedly left the scene.
“The car you hit set on fire. You go there and try to do everything you can to help people,” she said.
“I know he was pretty damn drunk, but you weren’t blacked out,” she said, based on the charges filed against Matariyeh. “You knew enough to grab your phone and get an Uber. And you left your passenger in the car, not giving a s— what happened to her.”
“ … It’s not just about me it’s about everybody who loved her.”
Marariyeh’s next court date was set for May 20.
