Hundreds of riders gathered to honor Mehrnoosh Hatami as a Chicago woman faces charges in the crash that killed her.
CHICAGO — Hundreds of motorcyclists have honored a 49-year-old woman killed while riding on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, gathering for a memorial ride as a Chicago driver faces a felony aggravated DUI charge in her death.
Mehrnoosh Hatami of Gary, Indiana, died after police said a gray sedan struck her motorcycle late Aug. 19 in the southbound lanes near Grant Park. Her death has drawn an outpouring from relatives and riders who knew her through Chicago’s motorcycle community, where her family said she found friendship and helped support other riders.
Hatami was riding south at about 11:30 p.m. in the 400 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive when the collision occurred, police said. She was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead. The driver of the sedan, identified by police as 25-year-old Miracle Hall of Chicago, was not injured and was taken into custody.
Police later charged Hall with felony aggravated DUI involving an accident and death. She also faces misdemeanor DUI counts, including a charge alleging a blood-alcohol concentration of at least 0.08, along with traffic citations. The charges remain allegations, and the case has not been resolved in court.
Hatami’s two children told FOX 32 Chicago that their mother had been traveling home from work before the crash. They described her as loving and selfless and said she was quick to help people around her. Her daughter, Niusha Khansanami, said Hatami had made a larger impact than the family had realized, while her son, Kiarash Khansanami, said she would be missed.
Motorcycling was an important part of Hatami’s life. Family members said she was involved with a community that supported and encouraged women riders. Other reporting described her as a mother and grandmother who was active in Chicago-area riding groups and helped connect people who shared her interest in motorcycles.
That community gathered Thursday night, one day after the crash, for a memorial ride along Lake Shore Drive. Hundreds of riders joined the tribute, traveling together on the lakefront roadway where Hatami had been killed. A cross was also placed near the crash site.
Hatami’s relatives said they were moved by the number of people who participated. The gathering provided a public measure of her place in a community that extends across Chicago and its suburbs, bringing together riders who knew her personally and others who came to show support for her family.
The crash itself left debris across parts of DuSable Lake Shore Drive near the Field Museum and temporarily affected traffic in both directions. Emergency crews responded late Wednesday as police began investigating how the collision occurred. Authorities have not announced a final reconstruction of the crash.
Hall appeared in court Saturday as the criminal case moved forward. A judge permitted her pretrial release under electronic monitoring and ordered that she not drive, according to court reporting. Prosecutors had sought detention. The court proceedings are separate from the memorial events honoring Hatami, and Hall is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Hatami’s family was preparing for funeral and memorial services as the criminal case continued. Hall is expected back in court, while investigators continue reviewing the deadly collision on one of Chicago’s busiest lakefront roads.
Author note: Last updated August 24, 2026.