A 23-year-old man in a Santa Claus outfit was killed earlier this week when he was struck by a car in Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood after attending a holiday party, police said.



Eddie Fuentes was the designated driver and made sure everyone got home safely after the party ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning, his family told NBC Chicago on Wednesday. Fuentes was standing next to his vehicle on the 5300 block of South Western Avenue at about 3:10 a.m. when he was hit.

A Roseland man, 30-year-old Jason Rayford, was charged with reckless homicide and misdemeanor domestic battery in connection with the crash. Police said Rayford was arguing and punching his wife as she drove her Chevy Impala. It was when Rayford yanked the steering wheel that the woman lost control and drove into Fuentes.

Fuentes was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he was pronounced dead about five hours later. A police report indicated he suffered a severe brain injury.

Judge Peggy Chiampas said if he was eligible, Rayford could be placed on electronic monitoring or he could post ten percent of a $100,000 bail. She ordered Rayford not to drive if he's released from the Cook County Jail.

Rayford, of the 11300 block of South Stewart Avenue, is a purported gang member, the police report said. His wife was charged with DUI, prosecutors said.

[LEGAL - DO NOT DELETE OR PUBLISH] #SantaPhotoFail: Pics of No Good Santa Encounters