Crash Investigation Continues As Services Planned For Cop

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Services for Jose Luis Castro, the 29-year-old off-duty Chicago police officer that died Monday in a one-car accident in Arlington Heights, are planned for next week. Details of what happened prior to the incident are still scarce, at least publically.

Visitation for Castro, who worked in District 15, is planned for 4-8 p.m. Monday at the Meadows Funeral Home, 3615 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows, according to the funeral home's website. A funeral Mass is scheduled for noon Tuesday at Misión San Juan Diego, 2323 N Wilke Road, Arlington Heights. Burial will follow at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, 1185 W Algonquin Road, Palatine.

The cause of death was still pending as of Friday afternoon, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Earlier this week, police said speed was "clearly a factor" in the crash. Impairment is also suspected, but has not yet been confirmed. Arlington Heights Police Chief Nick Pecora told the Daily Herald Thursday that as the investigation continues, it is still not known where Castro was going or where he was coming from.

"We utilized the MCAT STAR team to assist in the on-scene investigation and the final report is pending," Sgt. Valerie Sanders told Patch.

Castro was driving a 2021 black Toyota 4Runner at a high rate of speed northbound on Wilke Road, from Algonquin Road at around 1 a.m., according to police. As the vehicle reached the area of Wilke and West Kirchoff roads, it left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The car continued across Kirchoff Road, entered a backyard, tumbled end over end, and landed in the 600 block of South Reuter Drive.

Shortly before Castro entered the jurisdictional boundaries of Arlington Heights, an on-duty Rolling Meadows officer, in a marked police vehicle, saw the SUV traveling at a high rate of speed on Algonquin Road, just under two miles from the scene of the crash. The Rolling Meadows officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the 2021 Toyota 4Runner fled the stop northbound on Wilke Road from Algonquin Road, according to police. The Rolling Meadows officer did not pursue the vehicle once it turned onto northbound Wilke Road from Algonquin Road.

Castro was taken to Lutheran General Hospital, where he died from his injuries at 4:45 a.m. Monday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

A 33-year-old passenger in Castro's car was also taken to Northwest Community Hospital, where he was treated and released. No other people were injured due to the crash, according to police.

Described as a friend, the passenger has not been cooperative with police who questioned him at Northwest Community Hospital, reports the Daily Herald.

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