MARKHAM, Ill. -- Bond was set at $250,000 Friday for a southwest suburban man charged with reckless homicide for fatally striking an IDOT contractor and injuring another in a Wednesday hit-and-run on I-57 on the Far South Side.

Lovelle M. Gates, 22, of 15315 Honore in Harvey, was charged early Friday with reckless homicide, according to Illinois State Police District Chicago Master Sgt. Todd Borisy. He is also charged with one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash and cited for driving with a suspended license, no proof of insurance, improper lane usage and failure to signal when required, according to an ISP release Friday morning.

Gates is also being held on an unrelated arrest warrant out of Sangamon County for failure to appear for driving with a suspended license.

At the Markham Courthouse on Friday morning, Judge Thomas Condon set bond at $250,000, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing July 2 in Markham.

The crash, which claimed the life of highway safety worker Jose Chavez, happened about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday in the southbound lanes of I-57 near 119th Street. Two workers were struck while removing a sign warning drivers about a lane closure, according to IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey.

Gates possibly fell asleep while driving before fleeing the scene of the crash on the far South Side, State Police said. He was traveling southbound on I-57 at 120th Street when he swerved left onto the left shoulder, allegedly striking Chavez, who was walking on shoulder retrieving a sign, according to the release.

Gates then allegedly struck the rear of Chavez’ parked construction truck, causing the truck to strike the second victim, highway safety worker Nicolas Tapia, 39, of Melrose Park. Gates was then allegedly observed by witnesses fleeing the scene on foot and was apprehended shortly after by troopers at 119th and Laflin in Chicago, the release said.

Chavez, 41, of Berwyn, was transported to Christ Advocate Hospital and pronounced dead at 3:31 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. An autopsy on Thursday showed he died of multiple injuries from being struck by a vehicle and the death was ruled accidental, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Tapia was transported to John Stroger Hospital Jr. Hospital of Cook County, were he was treated for minor injuries and released.

The penalty for reckless homicide is 2-5 years in prison, while the reckless homicide of a construction worker in a safety zone carries a prison sentence of 3-14 years.

Chavez is the first worker killed in a highway work zone in 2008.

Copyright 2008, Sun-Times News Group