Driver grabs license plate, tries to flee fatal crash
BY FRANCINE KNOWLES Staff Reporter July 17, 2011 12:58PM
Ernestine Temple, 37, was struck and killed by an SUV while driving her motorcycle. | Jean Lachat~Sun-Times
Updated: July 18, 2011 2:07AM
The driver of a Ford SUV, who struck and killed a motorcycle driver and whom witnesses said they stopped from fleeing the accident scene, is expected to be charged today by Dolton police, according to a spokeswoman.
The driver of the SUV was in the vehicle with his 16-year-old nephew, turning westbound onto Sibley Blvd. at Everest, when he failed to yield and struck 37-year-old Dolton resident Ernestine Temple, who was traveling east on Sibley at 7:41 p.m. Saturday night, said Village of Dolton spokeswoman TaQuoya Kennedy. Temple was pronounced dead at the scene. She was not wearing a helmet.
After striking Temple, the man allegedly exited his vehicle and then removed the vehicle license plate. Residents stopped him when he attempted to leave the scene and held him until police arrived, Kennedy said.
The man had two active warrants and was arrested, Kennedy said.
Temple had just planned to drive the motorcycle a few blocks from home to Torrence Avenue to charge the battery and then return home, said her 17-year-old son DePareyon Temple.
Her daughter, 19-year-old LaParicea Temple, said her mother was a student at South Suburban College studying to be a registered nurse. The elder Temple, who also had a 6-year-old son, DeParis, previously worked in retail and had been trained to be a certified nursing assistant, LaParicea Temple said.
“My mom was the type of person where no matter what it was she would tell you exactly what you needed to know,” she said. “If we had it and somebody didn’t, she would help that person.”
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