A deadly carjacking unfolded early Monday morning February 23, 2026 in the 5500 block of West Flournoy Street directly in the turnaround outside Loretto Hospital at 645 South Central Avenue in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the city’s West Side. Around 2:07 a.m. 28 year old Daniel L Figueroa an Uber Eats driver from Downers Grove had just completed his final food delivery of the night to a physician working the overnight shift at the hospital.
He had parked his light blue Dodge Caravan minivan near the front entrance and left the engine running while he stepped inside to hand over the order in this typically quiet predawn stretch of Flournoy Street near Central Avenue that serves both hospital staff and local residents in the South Austin community.
Figueroa returned to find three individuals including 33-year-old Montoya Perry of Maywood attempting to steal the running vehicle. As the group climbed inside Perry slid behind the wheel while the other two took passenger seats. Figueroa spotted the theft in progress and rushed toward the minivan grabbing the front passenger door handle to stop the suspects from driving away. Perry immediately accelerated pulling out of the hospital grounds and dragging the young driver along the roadway for about half a block as he clung desperately to the moving vehicle.
Surveillance cameras captured the entire sequence showing Figueroa losing his grip and falling beneath the minivan where Perry then drove over him with the rear passenger tire inflicting fatal injuries. A short distance away the doctor who had placed the Uber Eats order grew concerned when the app indicated delivery but no food arrived at the entrance.
The physician walked outside during his meal break and discovered Figueroa lying unresponsive in the middle of West Flournoy Street in a pool of blood near the intersection with South Lotus Avenue. The doctor immediately recognized the victim from the photo on the delivery app called 911 and attempted to assist until first responders arrived transporting Figueroa to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2:46 a.m.
Daniel L Figueroa grew up in Downers Grove and was living there with his longtime girlfriend Sandra Guerrero and her young son Dariel whom he treated as his own. Known for his caring nature and love of fishing drawing and art he worked full time as an Amazon delivery driver and took on extra overnight shifts with Uber Eats to provide for his family especially after planning to celebrate his girlfriend’s son’s birthday later that day. His sudden death left his loved ones devastated with Guerrero describing him as a man who simply wanted to support those closest to him through honest hard work.
Chicago police used license plate readers to track the stolen Dodge Caravan to suburban Maywood where they located and arrested Perry Monday afternoon after a brief chase during which she discarded the keys. She faces felony charges of first degree murder during the commission of a forcible felony and vehicular hijacking.
At her detention hearing Wednesday February 25 in the Leighton Criminal Court Building Perry appeared using crutches as Cook County Judge James Murphy ordered her held without bond pending her next court date on March 18 citing the deliberate nature of driving over Figueroa and leaving him in the street. Perry has an extensive criminal history with eight prior felony convictions including aggravated robberies carjackings and fleeing police and was on pretrial release at the time.
The two other individuals involved in the carjacking attempt remain at large as investigators continue reviewing surveillance video and seeking additional witnesses in the Austin neighborhood. A GoFundMe organized by Figueroa’s family has raised over twelve thousand dollars to support funeral expenses and help Guerrero and her son amid their grief.
Loretto Hospital issued a statement expressing condolences and confirming full cooperation with police while the case has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities faced by late night delivery drivers working in high risk urban areas across Chicago’s West Side. Family members attended the hearing expressing hope for full justice as the investigation proceeds with Perry remaining in custody at the Cook County Jail.
