NAPERVILLE – According to prosecutors, two men face felony charges for allegedly participating in an illegal street race that resulted in a violent crash and sent two passengers to the hospital with serious injuries.
The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged Jadon Ramirez, 18, and Sahil Chauhan, 23, with one count of aggravated street racing and one count of aggravated reckless driving causing great bodily harm, both Class 4 felonies.
On June 27, Ramirez appeared in court, and a judge granted the state’s motion to detain him pending trial. Chauhan appeared in court on Monday, and the judge denied the state’s motion to detain him pretrial.
The charges are related to a crash on April 26 at 12:06 a.m. outside the Courtyard Marriott at 1155 E. Diehl Road.
According to Naperville police, Ramirez was driving a black 2006 Mercedes CLS500 and racing another vehicle when he lost control and collided with a tree. There were four people in the Mercedes.
Authorities reported that two passengers were ejected and seriously injured.
One victim, a 17-year-old boy, was discovered unconscious and had multiple traumatic injuries, including a punctured lung, broken ribs, and internal brain bleeding, according to prosecutors.
The second victim, an 18-year-old man, suffered a broken arm. Both were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Chauhan was later identified as the driver of the blue 2024 Acura ZDX seen racing Ramirez. Prosecutors said the two first met near Diehl Road and Mill Street, where Ramirez pointed at Chauhan and gestured for a race challenge.
They allegedly raced twice, first reaching 90 mph and then speeding again after stopping at a traffic light on Washington Street. Prosecutors claim Ramirez drove 101 mph in a 40 mph zone before colliding.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin stated that street racing is not only illegal but also extremely dangerous for drivers, passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians.
“The blatant disregard for public safety allegedly exhibited by both of these men is astounding and will not be tolerated on the streets of DuPage County.”
“There is absolutely no excuse for the type of dangerous and reckless driving alleged in this case,” Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres declared. “Driving is a privilege that entails tremendous responsibility for the safety of passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers on the road.
We have no tolerance for this type of behavior and thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his team for their assistance in holding the accused accountable.”
Ramirez’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 18. Chauhan is scheduled to appear on July 28.
