Bail was denied Saturday for a man accused of stabbing another driver to death during a fit of road rage at a bustling River North intersection earlier in the week.
Alan Perez, 25, turned himself in to police two days after the attack that left 36-year-old Jeremy Walker fatally wounded Tuesday near the first block of West Ohio Street, Cook County prosecutors said during a livestreamed bail hearing.
Perez, now charged with first-degree murder, was driving in a vehicle that evening with his wife and brother when they “encountered” Walker’s car about 6:45 p.m. on Dearborn Street, prosecutors said.
Walker had been “closely following” Perez’s vehicle, and when they came to a stop, Walker “yelled insults” at Perez, according to prosecutors.
Walker then cut him off at the intersection of Ohio Street, prosecutors said. Perez honked his horn and grabbed a knife before getting out of his vehicle and approaching Walker, who got out of his car without a weapon, prosecutors said.
The older man tried to hold off Perez off, but lost his grip and was stabbed in the neck, authorities said.
After stabbing Walker, Perez got back in his vehicle and took off without calling for help, authorities said.
Walker got into his car and drove five blocks to Michigan Avenue, stopping near a police car. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he died.
The morning after the attack, police used the license plate number to track down Perez’s car near his South Side home — but he had already fled to Indiana, authorities said.
Perez turned himself in Thursday, two days after his wife and brother identified him as the driver, police said.
Perez’s defense attorney said they would dispute the allegations made by prosecutors but didn’t offer specifics. The attorney said Perez is the “only provider” for his family.
A judge bemoaned the fact that “a simple matter that should have ended with someone honking their horn” ended with a man slain. She ordered Perez jailed without bail.
He’s due in court again Tuesday.
