La Salle woman charged in 2023 hit-and-run

A La Salle woman was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, a felony, for allegedly fleeing a 2023 crash that injured an elderly motorist.

Lauren Finnell, 32, recently was charged in La Salle County Circuit Court leaving the scene of an accident with injury, a Class 4 felony carrying up to three years in prison, La Salle police said in a Tuesday news release.

Police said they were dispatched at 3:40 p.m. May 19, 2023, to Second and Hennepin streets in La Salle. There, an elderly motorist was extricated from an overturned vehicle and then flown to Peoria, where she was treated and released.

According to the release, witnesses observed a vehicle traveling “at a very high rate of speed” that collided with the elderly woman’s vehicle.

“Witnesses observed a female suspect exit the car and flee the scene of the accident via foot, and suspected to be picked up by another car,” police said.

An investigation was conducted with state police and the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Finnell is scheduled to appear June 24 in La Salle County Circuit Court. Her case is assigned to Circuit Judge Cynthia M. Raccuglia. An attorney has not yet entered an appearance on Finnell’s behalf. Finnell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.