Springfield, Illinois – An arrest warrant has been issued for a woman who fatally crashed into a Springfield Man after fleeing from Sangamon County Sheriff Deputies.
On March 2, 2020 around 7:30 p.m., a Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy attempted to stop a 2007 gray Pontiac G6 on 17th and Stuart. The driver, Ladeja P. Frazier, age 23, fled from deputies, without lights, and had a minor in her vehicle, who was under the age of 12. According to Sangamon County Prosecutors, that minor was also improperly secured in the vehicle.
While fleeing from Deputies, once Ladeja approached the area of E. Laurel St. and 19th St., she crashed into 28 year old Sean Richie. Richie’s son, Jaylen, was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
A few days after the crash, on March 11, 2020, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirmed to us that Richie died at 6:03 p.m., at St. John’s Hospital. An autopsy was preformed and Allmon said, “preliminary cause of death is blunt force injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision (that occurred on March 2, 2020).”
No immediate charges were filed as a result of the fatal accident, and the investigation was handed over to The Illinois State Police although the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department was the lead agency in the high speed pursuit of Ladeja.
A few days, after learning of Richies passing, we had asked Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell if a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to pull over Ladeja, prior to the roll-over crash. Campbell, at that time, told us, “to my knowledge, no one was attempting to stop them when they crashed.”
But, according to Sangamon County Prosecutors, Ladeja, who was under the influence of cannabis, “fled after being given a visual or audible signal by Deputy A. Smith, a peace officer of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, and that such flight included speeds greater than 21 miles over the speed limit.”
As a result of the investigation by The Illinois State Police, Ledeja was indicted by a Sangamon County Grand Jury. She was indicted for Aggravated driving under the influence (of cannabis), a class 2 felony, Reckless Homicide, Aggravated reckless driving, Reckless Conduct, Aggravated Reckless Driving, Driving while license revoked and Aggravated Reckless Driving, all class 4 felonies.
Currently, a warrant has been issued for Ladeja’s arrest and once she is booked into the Sangamon County Jail she will need to pay 10 percent ($50,000) of her $500,000 bond.
As of this afternoon Ladeja was not in custody at the Sangamon County Jail.