Motorist accused in fatal motorcycle hitandrun in Ashburn left cell phone on scene
Aug 27, 2026
A man was released pending trial Thursday after being accused of driving recklessly and leaving the scene of an accident that left a motorcyclist dead in July, officials said.Darryl Short, 45, appeared before a Cook County judge who released him pending trial, court records show. Short is charged wi
th reckless homicide and leaving the scene of an accident that killed Churone Walls, 47.The wreck happened July 24 in the 2200 block of West 79th Street, according to police.Walls was driving a three-wheeled motorcycle west on 79th Street at about 7 p.m. when Short, also westbound, blew a stop sign while driving 63 mph and attempted to pass Walls, crashing into her, prosecutors said in court. Short's Volkswagen Atlas went airborne before landing on Walls and her motorcycle. The SUV then dragged Walls and her motorcycle until Short plowed into a light pole and came to a stop, prosecutors said. Short then left the scene in another vehicle, but left his cell phone in the Atlas, prosecutors said. The phone, registered to Short, showed he made no 911 calls on the night of the crash.Short has traffic violations as well as convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and a drug-related offense. He is due back in court on Sept. 16.
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