Category: News
Driver charged in New Year’s Eve Riverdale car accident that killed 72-year-old woman
Charges have been filed in connection with the fatal car crash in a Riverdale gas station parking lot that killed Harriett Reynolds, 72, on New Year’s Eve.
Barry Lewis, 62, was charged Wednesday with leaving the scene of an accident causing death and obstructing justice.
Reynolds was run over by a car and killed outside an HP gas station on East 146th Street in Riverdale. She walked there from the nearby senior housing complex, Our Savior’s Senior Housing, where she lived.
Prosecutors said Lewis ran over Reynolds in the parking lot while moving his car between gas pumps. Afterward, prosecutors said, he moved her body before entering the gas station and reporting that “someone had ran over a woman outside.”
Lewis remained on the scene until officers arrived, then told police Reynolds was already lying in the parking lot when he arrived, prosecutors said.
Subsequently, officers allowed Lewis to leave, but his account was later contradicted by surveillance footage from the gas station parking lot, prosecutors said.
At the time of the accident, Lewis’ license was suspended for a felony aggravated DUI in 2006, according to court documents.
Cook County Judge Luciano Panici ordered Lewis remain in custody while awaiting trial. Lewis is to appear again in court Jan. 30.
A lawyer representing Lewis declined to comment on the proceedings.
Reynold’s daughter, Consuela Vernor, expressed relief earlier this week that a person was in custody.
“I really do appreciate the hard work they did, the Riverdale Police Department,” Vernor said. “I thank God for the justice that’s being served. Whatever happens, I know I just have to leave it in God’s hands. I don’t have the strength to deal with it. This loss is too heavy on my heart.”
elewis@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/driver-charged-riverdale-fatal-car-crash/
Enchanted Backpack wows Lake Station school
Excited Bailey Elementary students in Lake Station waved red pom poms as two vibrant blue vans from Enchanted Backpack pulled up in front of the school Thursday morning.
The kids cheered as teachers, staff, and an Enchanted Backpack crew began unloading boxes full of school supplies, books, games, clothing and other items for the students.
Enchanted Backpack employee Liam Skinner takes video as the nonprofit organization arrives to deliver school supplies to Bailey Elementary School in Lake Station on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
The tightly-wrapped boxes were taken to the gym, and the items will be distributed in the coming weeks.
It marked the first visit by Bensenville, Illinois-based Enchanted Backpack to Lake Station.
Jackson Chandler, warehouse manager, said the charity serves the Chicago area, and parts of Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana.
The Lavin Family Foundation established the charitable organization more than 50 years ago. The family owned the Alberto Culver Company, a personal care product business.
Bailey Elementary School English teacher Nancy Fuentes carries bags of school supplies as nonprofit organization Enchanted Backpack visits the Lake Station school on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
Enchanted Backpack has already visited schools in Merrillville, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, East Chicago and Michigan City, said Chandler.
He said the only requirement is for 50% of the student body to be eligible for the federal government’s free and reduced lunch program.
Bailey Principal Kimberly Hayes filled out the program application last summer. She learned of Enchanted Backpack from friends who work at the Merrillville Community School Corp.
“So that gave me the inkling that our school, our kids … we have lots of needs we need to fill,” she said. Of Bailey’s enrollment of 265 students, Hayes said 84% meet the federal poverty threshold.
Enchanted Backpack employee Liam Skinner rolls out boxes from his van as the nonprofit organization delivers books, classroom equipment, and other necessary supplies to Bailey Elementary School in Lake Station on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)
“We do a lot, you know … providing for our students. There’s always room for more.”
Chandler thanked Hayes and Bailey teachers for their efforts to help their students succeed.
“You guys are on the front lines doing the hard stuff,” he told Hayes. “And I do love the pom poms.”
Superintendent Thomas Cripliver and Assistant Superintendent Christine Pepa helped unload supplies and talked with Chandler.
“It’s a tremendous thing for our students. We’re proud we were selected,” said Cripliver.
Chandler said in addition to school supplies and clothing, Enchanted Backpack also provided 50 to 100 books for the school’s library.
“This is Step 1,” Chandler said. “We hope to be back in a couple years.”
The group may return even sooner.
Hayes plans to apply for a washer and dryer, along with a year’s supply of laundry products and additional clothing.
About five to eight schools receive the laundry machines each year in a program begun by Enchanted Backpack recently after principals and teachers suggested the donation would decrease absenteeism and boost student self-esteem.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/enchanted-backpack-wows-lake-station-school/
Connor Bedard will play tonight for Chicago Blackhawks after missing 12 games with a separated shoulder
Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard is set to return to the lineup for Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals. It will be the center’s first start since Dec. 12.
Bedard partially practiced with the team Tuesday in a noncontact sweater. He skated and shot the puck with ease in his limited drills.
“(It’s) uncontrollable (getting hurt) in sports, so you try and take the time to work on the stuff you can,” Bedard said after Friday’s morning skate. “No one wants to have anything happen, but it’s a part of the game.”
Bedard missed 12 games because of a separated right shoulder suffered in a 3-2 road loss to the St. Louis Blues. Center Brayden Scheen drove through Bedard to prevent a last-second shot, and the Hawks forward skated off the ice in clear pain.
Hawks coach Jeff Blashill made it clear that he did not see any ill intent in Schenn’s play on Bedard. He labeled it a “freak accident”.
“I have a ton of respect for Schenn, I think he’s a great player (and) he carries himself the right way,” Blashill said. “It really had nothing to do with the injury.”
Added Schenn the next day: “I’m just trying to tie him up and win the faceoff to win the game. I’m not trying to hurt Connor Bedard on the last play of the game when you’re up by one goal. That wasn’t my mentality at all.”
The Hawks went 5-6-1 without their star but have put together four straight wins.
Bedard has 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 31 games this season. He was making his case for the Hart Trophy before he went down with the injury.
He trails only legendary right winger Eddie Olczyk for the most goals (65) and points (180) in Hawks history before turning 21. Bedard, who turns 21 on July 17, has 64 goals and 172 points in his career.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/connor-bedard-returns-chicago-blackhawks/
Trump Cancels 2nd Wave Of Strikes On ‘Cooperative’ Venezuela – Political Prisoners Freed
Trump Cancels 2nd Wave Of Strikes On ‘Cooperative’ Venezuela – Political Prisoners Freed
The post-Maduro Venezuelan government has begun releasing political prisoners as a gesture of ‘good will’ to the United States, signaling that the new Delcy Rodriguez government is ready to play nice with Trump. There are reasons to believe that this former Maduro number two (as his vice president) had cooperated with the CIA to hand the longtime Venezuelan president and socialist strongman over to invading American forces during last Friday night’s raid.
President Trump said early Friday that he had cancelled a “previously expected” second wave of attacks on the Latin American country as Caracas is now cooperating with the US. It must be recalled that soon after the attack which ousted Maduro and brought him into US custody, Trump had warned, “We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so. He added: “We actually assumed that a second wave would be necessary, but now it’s probably not.” Presumably this meant cartel targets, but this brings up the question: where are all the ‘narco-terrorists’ and did they magically disappear now that Maduro was taken out?
In a Friday Truth Social post, the president emphasized the White House and new Caracas authorities are “working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure.”
“Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed, however, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes,” he added.
Trump confirmed that the government is busy “releasing large numbers of political prisoners as a sign of ‘Seeking Peace,'” adding, “This is a very important and smart gesture.” Local news footage also appeared to verify this – a longtime demand of Washington and its allies in Europe.
AFP reports: Venezuela begins releasing a “large number” of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in an apparent concession to the United States after its ouster of ruler Nicolas Maduro
Venezuela begins releasing a “large number” of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in an apparent concession to the United States after its ouster of ruler Nicolas Madurohttps://t.co/EWfcPTLkzq pic.twitter.com/LZtPaZRgA1
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 9, 2026
The head of the country’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced the release of a “significant number” of political prisoners, which is being taken to mean by outside observers that this is most, if not all, political prisoners which the US has demanded the release of.
One prominent name among those reportedly freed is the following:
Rocío San Miguel, a vocal critic of Maduro and a defense expert, was the first prisoner confirmed to be freed. Her family told the New York Times that she was taken to the Spanish embassy in Caracas.
Arrested in 2024, she was accused of being involved in a plot to kill the then-president and faced charges of treason, conspiracy and terrorism. Her arrest shocked human rights activists and, because her whereabouts were unknown, was labelled as potential “enforced disappearance” by the UN Human Rights Office.
As for Trump’s claim that he has called off a ‘second strike’ – there’s as yet no real evidence that the Pentagon was actually preparing such a new offensive, but heavy US assets are certainly still in the region and in regional waters. Trump could be bluffing on this, and very likely is, in order to keep Caracas on edge and cooperative.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 12:05
Chesterton officer charged with felonies placed on unpaid leave
A Chesterton Police officer who had been on paid administrative leave will now receive no pay because of his recent arrest on two felony charges in Portage.
Chesterton’s Police Commission on Thursday unanimously decided to switch Cpl. Ryan Joseph Miller to unpaid status leave.
Miller, 32, was charged with two Level 5 felonies of domestic battery and strangulation, which accuse him of assaulting a pregnant woman at his Portage residence on New Year’s Eve. The woman was 25 weeks pregnant at the time.
Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson in early December had placed Miller on paid leave. The chief wouldn’t state the reason why, citing the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act law that restricts the release of information.
During his initial hearing Monday in Porter Superior Court, Miller revealed that he had been recently diagnosed with a mental health issue. He has pleaded not guilty and is free after posting a $2,000 cash bond.
Judge Jeffrey Clymer of Porter Superior Court 2 on Tuesday appointed Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter to serve as a special prosecutor in the case, according to an online court docket.
Police Commission members before Thursday’s meeting met in closed session to discuss Miller’s case.
Richardson told the commission that under Indiana Code, they are entrusted with making the decision after an arrest about whether an officer would be placed on paid or unpaid administrative leave.
Commission member Mike Orlich proposed that Miller be put on unpaid leave and the other two commission members agreed in a voice vote. Commission members made no further comment.
In other business, the commission learned two veteran law enforcement officers who are serving elsewhere have accepted offers to join the Chesterton police force.
Christopher Manns is coming over from the Michigan City Police Department and will start on Jan. 12. There are a number of former Michigan City police officers on the Chesterton staff, including Richardson and Assistant Chief Cisco Rodriguez.
Tyler Oberholtzer is now with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois and had previously served for seven years with the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. Richardson said that the details involving Oberholtzer’s pension must be straightened out before he starts with the department.
Richardson said that Manns and Oberholtzer would be paid as senior patrol officers and have vacation time commensurate with their law enforcement tenure.
Commission member Peter Duda will serve as commission president this year while Orlich is the vice president.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Sports dome west of Brookside Marketplace moves forward; one of three planned in Tinley Park
Plans are moving forward for construction of a large inflatable sports dome for a site south of Interstate 80 and west of the Brookside Marketplace shopping center in Tinley Park.
The proposal from GK Development Properties LLC, approved last week by the Tinley Park Village Board, includes a 142,000-square-foot dome and a building that could house stores and restaurants on property where a 9-hole golf course once operated.
Village Manager Pat Carr said construction on the dome could be underway in the next month.
Trustee Michael Mueller said the property had been vacant for a while and that he’s happy to see the project moving forward.
“A lot of folks in the community are very excited about this,” Mueller said.
Trustee William Brady said the property has been sitting there for years and it will be nice to have a place to play ball.
Trustee Colleen Sullivan said given the weather in Tinley Park, it will be nice to have an inside space for activities and that the dome will be in a great location.
The 48-acre site is at 7600 191st St., between 76th Avenue, which is unimproved, and Panduit Drive to the west. The land was annexed to Tinley Park in 1992 and had been the site of Graystone Golf Links, which opened in 1992 and closed in 2012.
The initial dome would have an 18,600-square-foot precast support building, and the dome, which would have polystyrene fabric for the roof, would be 75 feet at its highest point, according to plans.
Operators have told the village the dome would be used primarily for training in sports such as baseball and soccer. With two fields, it would have limited space for competitive play.
A rendering of the planned sports dome the Tinley Park Village Board approved Jan. 6, 2025. (Village of Tinley Park)
The proposal includes space for 370 vehicles and the operator has said it expects to handle 200 patrons daily Monday through Friday, and from 250 to 350 Saturdays and Sundays.
It is proposed to operate 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
The planned sports dome in Tinley Park includes an18,000-square-foot support facility. (Village of Tinley Park)
The Tinley Park-Park District board also proposed an initial concept in 2022 to build a sports dome on the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center site, which the district acquired from the state for $1 in February 2024. The Park District proposed such as a regulation-size soccer field and a stadium with a running track, but those plans have not moved forward.
Maura Possley, a spokesperson for the Park District, said Thursday they need to finish the clean-up process and receive approval from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before starting redevelopment.
She said phase one of the clean up was funded through a $15 million dollar state grant. Phase two, which will cover the remaining abatement and demolition of buildings on the property, began in December and is being funded through an $18 million state grant, she said.
She emphasized the Park District board will take community feedback on the redevelopment.
The village’s sports dome plans arrive after Topgolf won approval from the village to build an outdoor golf driving range on a site site to west of Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre. That 100-acre property is to the east of where the sports dome is planned, to the east of Harlem Avenue.
Fiber optic work
The village also approved an agreement between the village and Clear Wave Fiber for fiber optic right of way work.
Orland Park recently halted its fiber optic broadband installation after residents reported unsafe work that included a recent power outage.
Carr said the village was more particular and specific in its contract with the fiber optic company after the recent Orland Park experience.
The Illinois 2019 broadband investment program made $400 million in matching grants available to internet service providers for fiber optic construction throughout the state. Providers are under state regulation but receive permits from individual municipalities to complete the work.
awright@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/sports-dome-approved-tinley-park/
Law & Order column: Evidence hearing Monday in Marni Yang case
An evidentiary hearing in the Marni Yang case is scheduled to begin Monday in the Lake County courtroom of Judge Christopher Stride.
The judge has set aside three days to hear testimony and evidence from Yang, who contends she is innocent in the 2007 fatal shooting of Rhoni Reuter at Reuter’s Deerfield condo.
Yang was convicted of first-degree murder in 2011, but her attorney, Jed Stone, has argued that there is new evidence that casts doubt on the guilty verdict.
Yang is serving a life sentence.
Authorities say she killed Reuter because Yang saw her as a rival for the attention of Shaun Gayle, a former Chicago Bears player. Yang had previously been involved with Gayle, and Reuter was pregnant with Gayle’s child when she was shot.
Stone has said in court filings that he will present an expert witness who is expected to testify that, based on bullet trajectories, Yang is too short to have been the shooter. Lake County prosecutors are expected to present their own expert.
Human trafficking awareness
January is the month set aside for awareness of human trafficking in Lake County.
There is a Lake County Coalition Against Human Trafficking, which is made up of representatives from law enforcement and related social service agencies. The group’s task force has been in the community this month, distributing leaflets and engaging in conversations to raise awareness about the issues and the supportive services available to victims.
A candlelighting ceremony was planned for Thursday at the Lake Villa Public Library. The coalition was also urging people to don something blue and post a photo on Sunday as a means of raising awareness.
For more information, go to the Lake County Coalition Against Human Trafficking page on Facebook.
K-9 searches
K-9 Gunny, the Round Lake Park police dog, has been busy this month, sniffing out illegal drugs in separate traffic stops, the department reported.
Over the Jan. 3 weekend, police said they stopped a vehicle for multiple violations. Gunny alerted to the presence of drugs, and a search of the vehicle yielded 15 grams of cocaine discovered inside, police said.
During a Jan. 5 traffic stop, Gunny’s keen nose led officers to methamphetamine and black tar heroin inside another vehicle.
Alleged offenders were charged with felony counts of drug possession.
Child porn arrest
Authorities said an Antioch man was charged after a search of his residence turned up numerous electronic images of child pornography, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
Donald J. Ransdell, 72, of the 1000 block of Deertrail Court, was charged with possession of child pornography after officers conducted a search warrant at his home.
The Sheriff’s Office said it received a tip that someone was downloading illicit images. Police said they discovered dozens of images on devices in the home. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
“There is zero tolerance for those who exploit children, whether online or in person,” Sheriff John Idleburg said. “Our Cyber Crimes Team will continue to be relentless in their efforts to identify predators who hide behind electronics.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/law-order-column-marni-yang/
Frankfort man charged with sexual assault after five-month Tinley Park investigation
An 18-year-old Frankfort man was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and bodily harm after an five-month investigation led by Tinley Park police that involved a hospital in Ohio and the Credit Union One Amphitheater, according to a police statement Thursday.
The charges against Roman Basso constitute a Class X felony, which carries a prison sentence of 6 to 30 years, with no probation allowed.
Basso was taken into custody Jan. 6 in Frankfort and while in custody, made a confession, police said. He is scheduled to appear again at the Cook County courthouse in Bridgeview on Jan. 30.
Tinley Park police said the investigation began July 24 after hospital staff in Ohio notified Tinley Park police of a victim’s account.
That account was supported by surveillance footage provided by Live Nation, owner of the amphitheater, witness statements and a forensic interview, police said. Evidence was also collected with assistance from the Indian Hill Police Department in Ohio, police said.
Investigators confirmed Basso’s identity and learned he was enrolled at Arizona State University. Police said the univeristy police helped Tinley Park detectives locate Basso.
Police also said that Illinois Secretary of State police assisted in the investigations. Police said this assistance was instrumental in approving felony charges.
Basso was assigned a curfew as a condition of pre-trial release, requiring him to remain in his residence from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week. He was also barred from leaving the state and is prohibited from contacting the victim.
awright@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/09/frankfort-man-sexual-assault-tinley-park/
Ayatollah Breaks Silence: Blames US For Instigating “Vandals & Saboteurs” As Cities Burn
Ayatollah Breaks Silence: Blames US For Instigating “Vandals & Saboteurs” As Cities Burn
Iran’s supreme leader has just taken to X where he for the first time explicitly called out the United States for instigating ongoing unrest in the Islamic Republic, where raging economic protests have taken root in more that one hundred cities and towns – with in some instances rioters torching buildings and cars.
“Today like the past, the US is wrong in its calculations about Iran,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote. Importantly he added context to this assertion in a Friday speech – his first since protests began in a Tehran market 13 days ago – that authorities will “not back down” as Tehran officials have charged that the unrest has a foreign hand behind it.
This Guardian image is sourced to the MEK(!)
The Ayatollah denounced the protesters as “vandals” and “saboteurs” and called out their alleged foreign agendas, amid increased images of city sectors burning, ongoing clashes with police, and reports of some limited exchanges of gunfire.
Protesters are now “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy… because he said he would come to their aid” – in reference to President Trump, after the US leader has warned at least twice that there could be American military intervention if Iran starts killing protesters.
Trump also claimed in a FOX interview, but without citing specific intel or any evidence that the Ayatollah is “looking to go somewhere. It’s getting very bad.” The claim is based on anonymously sourced reports that he could flee to Moscow if things got bad enough.
The US President has said that if the Iranian govt. does such-and-such, I’ll take the side of the rioters. The rioters have put their hopes in him. If he’s so capable, he should manage his own country.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 9, 2026
However, given the nature of Iran’s brand of Shia revolutionary Islam, it remains highly unlikely that the country’s Supreme Leader and top Shia cleric would simply or hastily just flee (perhaps would face ‘martyrdom’ first?) – especially during the opening phase of such unrest, given also the country has weathered similar ones over several years prior, including the so-called ‘anti-hijab protests’.
By some international accounts, these current protests have yet to reach the size of the 2022 large-scale demonstrations, but that could change at any moment at this rate.
Buildings have been set on fire and national flags ripped in half as huge crowds of anti-government protesters marched through Iran’s capital and cities across the country. The protests mark the largest wave of unrest in three years, fueled by deepening economic distress —… pic.twitter.com/zQi03D36Dt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 9, 2026
Thursday saw an escalation as the internet was cut throughout almost the entirety of the country, as much more images emerged of largely peaceful demonstrations quickly turning violent in some areas:
There were violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in several locations in Iran on Wednesday, as a wave of unrest sparked by the country’s economic crisis continued for an 11th day.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, said two policemen were shot and killed by armed individuals in the south-western town of Lordegan.
Videos posted on social media showed a tense stand-off between protesters and security forces, with the sound of gunfire in the background. In footage from several other areas, security forces appear to fire guns and tear gas towards crowds of protesters, some of whom are throwing stones.
Like with Syria of the last decade of the anti-Assad insurgency, information out of Iran can be hard to assess and interpret, given almost no international reporters or observers are on the ground. This means that professional activist networks and NGOs outside the country can dominate the narrative, cheerleading the spiraling crisis from afar.
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 U.S. INTELLIGENCE SAID IRAN PROTESTS WEREN’T STRONG ENOUGH TO THREATEN REGIME. NOW THEY’RE REASSESSING
U.S. intelligence assessed Iran protests lacked “sufficient energy” to challenge regime stability, officials told Axios.
That assessment is now being revised “in light… pic.twitter.com/aPcDZXGhOw
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 9, 2026
To be expected, Israel is also cheering this on, and had even last week issued brazen statements – including that Mossad stands ‘with’ the protesters and is even helping them (a statement full of the usual ambiguity and psychological warfare). Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo has stated the same.
Below is an example of some of the worst and most simplistic propaganda which has no basis in any presentable evidence, and by ‘anon’ sources which don’t tend to have any understanding of the internal dynamics of the country and people:
BREAKING | Discussions have taken place inside Iran which would result in Supreme Leader Khamenei leaving Iran in exchange for keeping the Iranian regime in place (The Economist).
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has reportedly attempted to secure visas via a…
— InsideNK/GeoPolitics (@inside_nk) January 9, 2026
According to one such ‘anti-Iran media’ source and agency, “The 42 documented fatalities include 29 protesters, eight security personnel and five children or adolescents, figures released on Thursday by the US-based rights group HRANA showed.”
Russian state media sources have alternately been highlighting the ample evidence of rioting and crowds attacking police, in some locales:
‘Down with Israel’ — chants in Iran’s city of Ilam at funeral ceremony of police officer killed by RIOTERS
The protests MSM won’t be showing
Footage from FotrosResistancee pic.twitter.com/sr3OSHAyrZ
— RT (@RT_com) January 9, 2026
The clear admission from even Western mainstream reports that some eight or at least several among the security forces have been killed seems a full-on admission that this is sliding into more than just economic protests by common people. Will Tehran be targeted by the external ‘powers that be’ for regime change next after Maduro? Will the protests be hijacked and fully driven by nefarious actors and enemy intel? …The next proxy war for the fate of the Persian heartland?
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 11:20
Al-Attiyah recupera liderato del Rally Dakar y penalización de Sanders da triunfo a Brabec en motos
RIAD, Arabia Saudí (AP) — Nasser Al-Attiyah recuperó el viernes el liderato del Rally Dakar después de arrasar en la primera etapa completamente de arena de la carrera.
Después de la zona neutralizada, el cinco veces campeón Al-Attiyah dominó la segunda mitad de la etapa de 331 kilómetros entre Hail y Riad, aumentando su ventaja de nueve segundos a casi tres minutos en la meta sobre su compañero de equipo Sébastien Loeb, logrando el primer 1-2 de Dacia en la historia del Dakar.
“El auto coche está funcionando muy, muy bien, estoy realmente feliz”, dijo Al-Attiyah.
El quatarí ha ganado ahora una etapa en 19 ediciones consecutivas del Dakar, algo sin precedentes. Fue su 49ª victoria de etapa en total, solo una menos que el récord compartido por Ari Vatanen y Stéphane Peterhansel.
Ganar la sexta etapa devolvió a Al-Attiyah a la cima de la clasificación general, convirtiendo su déficit de cuatro minutos frente a Henk Lategan de Toyota en una ventaja de seis minutos.
Por primera vez desde el Dakar de 2019, Nani Roma de Ford estaba en los lugares del podio general al ubicarse en el tercer lugar, nueve minutos del líder. El cuatro veces campeón Carlos Sainz le pisa los talones.
Roma alcanzó rápidamente Mitch Guthrie, ganador de la quinta etapa, y los compañeros de equipo abrieron el camino juntos. Seth Quintero de Toyota fue el rival más cercano de Al-Attiyah durante gran parte del día hasta los últimos 80 kilómetros cuando fue superado por Loeb, el nueve veces campeón mundial de rally que intenta ganar su primer Dakar en su décimo intento.
Quintero, el ganador de la segunda etapa, figuró tercero, 21 segundos detrás de Loeb.
La victoria de Al-Attiyah por 2:58 fue el mayor margen de la primera semana antes del único día de descanso.
Sanders va demasiado rápido
Una penalización por exceso de velocidad le costó al campeón defensor de motos Daniel Sanders la victoria de la etapa y una brecha más amplia en la general.
Sanders sabía que cometió un error temprano — fue registrado a 98 km/h en una zona de 50 km/h — y empujó su KTM más de lo habitual. Alcanzó al argentino Luciano Benavides, su compañero de equipo, poco después de la zona neutralizada y juntos marcaron el camino y acumularon las bonificaciones de tiempo.
Después de unos 30 kilómetros, Sanders lideró por su cuenta y abrió una diferencia de más cinco minutos sobre Ricky Brabec, su rival más cercano y campeón de la edición de 2024. Sanders finalmente terminó con poco menos de cinco minutos de ventaja sobre Brabec.
Pero una penalización de seis minutos por exceso de velocidad le dio a Brabec su 12ª victoria de etapa en su carrera y la primera de la semana por poco más de un minuto sobre Tosha Schareina, su compañero de equipo de Honda, y dejó a Sanders en el tercer lugar, tres segundos más atrás.
Sanders mantuvo el liderazgo general, pero el margen sobre Brabec se redujo a 45 segundos. Benavides quedó 10:15 atrás y Schareina está a 11:56.
“No estoy contento con la primera semana. Debería haberlo hecho mucho mejor. Solo errores tontos”, manifestó Sanders. “Deberíamos tener una ventaja mayor en la general. Tantas cosas cambian cada día y solo tienes que seguir empujando al límite”.
“Mi único objetivo es alcanzar a Daniel el día después del día de descanso e intentar tomar algo de tiempo de bonificación. Así es como funciona el rally ahora, tienes que abrir para ganar”, señaló Brabec.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
