Chicago Cop Charged With DUI Over Crash That Killed Texas Woman

CHICAGO — Prosecutors approved a pair of felony charges in connection with last month’s fatal crash in River North, where a car drove onto the curb on State Street and killed a woman.

Maria Schwab, 56, of Texas, had been visiting Chicago on a work trip when she was struck and killed by an SUV driven by an off-duty Chicago police officer, authorities said. A co-worker was also hit but only suffered minor injuries.

Tangie Brown, 40, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated use of a communication device in connection with the early morning Dec. 7 collision.

She also faces misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and failure to render aid and citations for improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed.

Brown, who has been with the department since 2008, claimed that had dropped her phone inside the car and was so distracted by it, she tried to pick it up and almost crashed into the center median north of the Chicago Bridge, according to police reports.

Brown’s SUV first pinned Schwab against a fence before reversing, leaving her to fall down to a patio below, authorities said. Schwab was taken to Northwestern Hospital and pronounced dead.After hitting Schwab and another woman, Brown did not get out of the car and help, according to prosecutors, who alleged she had consumed three drinks at a work holiday party at the nearby Tree House Chicago bar.

Brown did not take a breath test at the scene of the crash, but she did later produce a sample at the hospital that indicated she had a blood alcohol level of 0.093, above the legal limit of 0.08. She was placed on desk duty after the crash.

A longtime police supervisor resigned to avoid facing demotion after he failed to show up to the scene to assume control even though he was charged with overseeing the response to crash, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. And since Street Deputy Frederick Melean never contacted Internal Affairs, no one ever gave Brown a breathalyzer.

It was not clear how much time was allowed to pass before Brown agreed to a blood draw.

Attorneys for Schwab’s family in Texas pledged to file a civil lawsuit against Brown and anyone else who is responsible for her death.

Tim Cavanagh, founding partner of Cavanagh Law Group, said in a statement his firm was investigating whether Brown was over served by any River North bars.

"This has been a devastating loss for the family. They are relieved criminal charges have been filed but they have many unanswered questions,” Cavanagh said.

“They cannot understand how a police officer who was supposed to serve and protect the public could drive in that severely intoxicated state and not even get out of her car to try to help Maria after she hit her."

Related: 'Negligent' Off-Duty Cop Drives Onto Sidewalk, Killing Woman: Police