2 beaten to death after smash

2002-08-01 11:41

Chicago - Two men whose van jumped a pavement and crashed into pedestrians have died after an angry mob pulled them out and beat them with bricks, say witnesses and police.

Autopsies on Wednesday showed that Anthony Stuckey (49) and Jack Moore (62), both of Chicago, died from multiple injuries and blunt trauma, said the Cook county medical examiner's office. Both deaths were ruled homicides.

Witness Taquita Mixon said Stuckey and Moore collapsed to the ground when they were attacked after the crash.

"They hit them with bricks that came off the side of the building," Mixon said. "They didn't have a chance. It was a brutal beat-down."

Virginia Stuckey said her son was an unemployed day labourer and factory worker who had lived with her since January.

"I really can't believe that anyone would kill someone like that," said Stuckey (72).

The three women who were hit remained in hospital on Wednesday afternoon, two of them in fair condition and one in critical condition.

The accident happened just after 18:30 on Tuesday when the rental van apparently lost control and crashed into people on a porch, said Sergeant Robert Cargie.

Saw van swerve, hit women

The occupants of the vehicle were then "attacked by a group in the area," he said.

Police said Moore and Stuckey lived nearby. It was not clear who was driving; the investigation was continuing.

Virginia Stuckey said her son was helping Moore move some items from a flat. Stuckey said her son could not have been driving because he did not have a licence.

Mixon said she was at the window of her flat across the street when she saw the van swerve toward the house and hit three women.

"It all happened so fast, it seemed like he floored it or something," she said.

She said she called emergency services and returned to see a crowd around the van, some of them helping the women. Mixon said she saw five or six men pull the driver and passenger out of the van and then punch, kick and beat them.

Stuckey died at Cook County Hospital and Moore died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Post mortems are planned.

Virginia Stuckey said doctors told her that her son died from blunt trauma.

"I hope they send them to prison ... they didn't have to do that," she said.

Policeman Thomas Donegan said he was not sure about the number of people involved in the beating. No one had been charged, he said, because detectives were still piecing together what had happened. - Sapa-AP

- SAPA