(CHICAGO) A Streamwood teen ran over his father three times with a car after an argument broke out at a relative’s home in Chicago’s North Austin neighborhood earlier this year, prosecutors said.
A lawyer for Tarrill Peters Jr. said the then-17-year-old was only trying to flee the neighborhood in his mother’s rented Buick LaCrosse after some relatives started viciously beating his father, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.
Peters was trying to save his 39-year-old father, defense attorney David Peilet told Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr.
The teen may have accidentally struck his father, who spelled his name Terrell Peters, because he was trying to escape the violent mob, Peilet said after court on Wednesday.
Tarrill Peters’ mother was also hit by the car and suffered a broken leg in the incident Feb. 13, prosecutors said.
She was in court to show support for her son.
Peters’ cousin, then 37, also was treated for abrasions and bruises to his legs. The cousin stood in the street waving his arms in an effort to get Tarrill Peters to stop, Assistant State’s Attorney Liam Reardon said.
Bourgeois said the fact that Tarrill Peters ran over his father three times shows “some impulse problems” before ordering the 18-year-old held without bail for murder.
Peilet said it was a “mystery” as to why Tarrill was charged months later when he voluntarily went to police at the time of the incident and was released.
Peilet said the teen had never been in trouble with the law and said he had no reason to kill his father.
At the February gathering after a funeral, several family members started arguing with the elder Peters over his treatment of his common law wife, who is Tarrill’s mother Reardon said.
During the argument, Tarrill Peters’ mother drove up in the rental Buick so her family could leave.
She left the car running and went to tend to her husband after two relatives punched and kicked him and he fell to the ground, Reardon said.
That’s when the younger Peters got behind the wheel and drove over his dad’s head, prosecutors said.
The teen then made a U-turn at the end of the block and sped back toward his father, Reardon said.
The cousin was hit, then the woman was struck as she was with the elder Peters, Reardon said.
After the second strike, the teen circled the block at a high rate of speed to take another shot at his dad, Reardon said.
His mother and cousin were able to move out of the way. The elder Peters was hit a third time.
Terrell Peters died at Stroger Hospital. He suffered skull fractures, lacerations on both lungs, pelvic fractures and injuries to his aorta, Reardon said.
The Buick LaCrosse, which was found near the scene, had front-end damage on the passenger side and blood and DNA on the front bumper, Reardon said.
Surveillance video from a neighboring home recorded a portion of the incident and several relatives identified the younger Peters as the driver, Reardon said.
– Chicago Sun-Times
