A tragic incident unfolded when a 17-year-old allegedly drove at an astonishing 104 mph on a bustling suburban street, resulting in a devastating collision that claimed the lives of an elderly couple.
Francesco Rendina faces charges of reckless homicide, as stated in a press release from DuPage County, Illinois. He is scheduled to enter a plea during his arraignment on June 15, according to a representative from the State’s Attorney’s Office, as reported by Oxygen.
The teenager reportedly engaged in a high-speed race with another BMW, navigating through lanes on Highland Avenue in Downers Grove on March 27. This information comes from a petition to deny pre-trial release obtained by Oxygen.
Investigations reveal that Rendina was clocked at 104 mph just five seconds before the collision, only decelerating to 89 mph in a zone restricted to 45 mph. His 2022 BMW collided with the vehicle of 72-year-old Ried Jacobsen and his 67-year-old wife, Katherine, at an intersection.
Ried succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while Katherine was taken to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Additionally, a passenger in the teenager’s car sustained a broken leg in the crash, according to the petition.
Though Rendina was taken into custody, a judge declined the prosecution’s request to detain him until trial. As part of his release conditions, he is prohibited from driving and from using alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
However, the case took a darker turn after investigators searched Francesco’s Snapchat account.
Those videos—shot from behind the wheel of what appeared to be Francesco’s BMW—allegedly showed the vehicle speeding at more than 100 mph and spinning donuts in a parking lot before and after the crash.
What’s more, Francesco allegedly went on a family vacation to Florida one day after the crash, according to the petition. There, he was seen on Snapchat drowning shots of alcohol while inside a nightclub, per the petition.
Francesco has a history of traffic offenses, prosecutors argue. In a separate case in January, he allegedly pleaded guilty to speeding and disobeying a stop sign.
Oxygen could not immediately locate an attorney for Francesco.
