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Charges filed in fatal state trooper truck accident
This fatal accident occurred this past March, but the tragedy is still garnering attention. The deadly truck accident killed an Illinois State Police Trooper and his fellow officers are reminded of their loss as the man responsible for the crash now faces felony criminal charges.
According to a spokesperson from the Illinois State Police, the truck driver that killed the trooper allegedly violated rules that prohibit truck drivers from driving while tired. The driver also allegedly falsified work logs and violated a rule that prohibited driving after a 14-hour work shift without taking an adequate break.
A judge set the 26-year-old man&s bond at $125,000 for the felony charges. The criminal complaint states that the man fell asleep while driving and hit the victim. The state trooper was parked on the shoulder of I-294 on night patrol duty when his car was struck.
When the defendant&s semi-truck crashed into the back of the patrol car, it started a large fire. Both the car and the cab of truck burst into flames. The fire made it very difficult to extract the trooper from the wreckage. Officials were unable to pronounce the state trooper dead until three hours after the crash, when the fire finally subsided.
Drunk driver causes chain reaction crash with two police cars
When car accidents occur, police officers generally report to the scene of the accident and eventually create a report. Depending on the situation, an officer may also decide to detain a driver or passenger or conduct further investigation into the cause of the accident. At that point, law enforcement can also look for signs that one or more of the driver&s is impaired.
Recently, a driver involved in a drunk driving accident in Chicago did not have to wait for police to arrive at the scene of the crash because the driver actually hit an unmarked police car parked on South Indianapolis Avenue. The impact caused a chain reaction and another car and a second squad car were also hit. The two squad cars were conducting a traffic stop at the time.
The accident occurred just after midnight. The 69-year-old driver was charged with felony aggravated DUI for causing an accident that involved bodily harm. The man was also charged with misdemeanor DUI and cited for failure to stay in the proper lane, as well as negligent driving.
Illinois areas see increase in motorcycle crashes
When motorcyclists enter the road, they expose themselves to certain dangers that other motorists do not encounter. By design, motorcycles lack the occupant protection afforded by cars and traditional vehicles. Motorcycles are much lighter than cars and there are no doors or seatbelts. Stability is also an issue with motorcycles, which operate on two wheels rather than four or more. Motorcycles are also harder for other drivers to see by virtue of their small size and low profile.
For these reasons and others, when riders are involved in a motorcycle accident the risk of injury or death is greatly increased. Certain areas in Illinois are experiencing a rise in fatal motor vehicle accidents in general. The number of deadly accidents is nearly twice as high this year and the number of motorcycle crashes is increasing as well.
As reported by the Illinois State Police, Adams, Brown, Pike, Scott and Schuyler counties are seeing almost two times the number of crashes and local residents point out more erratic drivers. Officers attribute some of the bad driving to the upcoming holiday season, which is prime condition for more crashes. As people head out to shop and run errands, there are simply more cars on the road creating opportunities for collisions. Speeding drivers is also a concern. When drivers travel too fast, they cannot stop in time to avoid an accident.
Governor's running mate involved in premises liability suit
Slip and fall injuries generally fall under the umbrella of premises liability cases because the accident usually happens on another person&s property. But an injured party cannot recover damages just because an accident occurred on someone else&s property. Recovery is only a possibility when the responsible party or property owner acted negligently to cause the accident. Recovery would not be available if the accident was the result of the injured party&s own carelessness or negligence.
In order to prove responsibility, a plaintiff in Illinois must show that the property owner was aware of the dangerous condition. There are a few ways to show awareness, including that the property owner created the dangerous condition; that the property knew about the condition and failed to fix it; or that the dangerous condition was in place for such a period of time that the property owner should have known about it and fixed it.
A woman who is now the running mate for Illinois gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner filed a lawsuit against government agencies after a slip and fall incident in Wheaton, Illinois, back in 2007. Evelyn Sanguinetti sued six government agencies including the city of Wheaton, DuPage County, Union Pacific Railroad, METRA and others after she fell on ice at a local train station.
Garbage truck accident leaves three dead
When it comes to large vehicle accidents and the risks involved, a Chicago truck accident attorney would probably be able to tell our readers that commercial trucks are often the center of attention. But any large, oversized vehicle can pose a danger to other drivers on the road, especially if the driver is acting negligently. All drivers must operate their vehicle under a reasonable standard of care. This standard depends on the circumstances. Therefore, drivers of large trucks must operate the truck understanding the implications of the truck&s size and weight.
If a driver fails to abide by the standard of care and injures someone as a result, the victim can usually bring a personal injury suit against the driver. The family of a victim can also bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver if the victim dies.
A garbage truck driver was recently involved in an accident in Glenview, Illinois, that killed three people. Investigators are still looking into the situation and did not immediately file any charges related to the truck accident.
Five injured in car accident, both drivers cited
Driving a car is a privilege, and with that privilege comes responsibility. Drivers are expected to operate the vehicle with a reasonable level of care. Failure to act accordingly may constitute negligent behavior. A negligent driver may be expected to pay for any damages that occur as a result of his or her behavior. If a negligent driver causes a car accident, that driver may be expected to cover the costs of a victim&s injuries.
There are various ways for a victim to prove negligence in a lawsuit. Police reports and witness statements can be helpful in determining fault. Judges and courts will consider whether the driver failed to obey the rules of the road, like speed limits or traffic signs. A driver in a recent car accident in Illinois received a citation for failing to yield while making a left-hand turn.
Although authorities did not specifically place the blame for the accident on the driver, citations like this are helpful to victims to prove negligence in a subsequent civil lawsuit.
Coffee spill at Illinois mall leads to premises liability suit
As the law stands in the area of premises liability, when you enter onto another person&s property, it is reasonable to expect that you won&t get injured. Because the law provides for this reasonable expectation standard, property owners must then make sure that the property is relatively safe. Relatively safe may mean proper upkeep or maintenance of the property or warning people of known dangers.
When property owners fail to meet that standard and someone is injured or hurt on the premises as a result, the property owners may be liable for those injuries. In this situation, victims in Illinois may be able to bring a premises liability suit in an attempt to recover damages or compensation for their injuries.
That&s what one woman is doing after she suffered a slip and fall injury at an Illinois mall under the control of ERMC Property Management Company of Illinois. The woman alleges that an overflowing trash can at the mall and some spilled coffee caused her fall.
Drunk driver kills elderly couple near Frankfurt, Illinois
It is a tragedy for anyone to die in a car accident, much less an accident that was completely preventable. Drunk driving accidents are always preventable and completely senseless. A recent DUI accident in Illinois left an elderly couple from Mokena dead. The man who caused the accident has lived to see another day, and is being held on bond for drunk driving.
The accident occurred near Frankfurt, Illinois around 7:30 p.m. The drunk driver ran through a stop sign at Route 45, and struck the passenger side of the second car involved. The 84-year-old man was driving the second car, and his 82-year-old wife was in the passenger seat. The husband was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while his wife was air lifted to a nearby hospital in Oak Lawn, where she later died.
Illinois State Police said that the driver was intoxicated. After being taken to the hospital he was released into custody. The man was charged with felony aggravated DUI causing death, as well as a misdemeanor DUI. Lesser charges include a ticket for running the stop sign and driving without insurance. The driver is being held on $200,000 bond at the Will County Sherriff&s Office.
State association stages truck accident to gather data
Illinois& major interstates and highways are known for heavy truck traffic. The state is no stranger to devastating truck accidents. That is why one state association is teaming up with other professionals to analyze crash information in an attempt to make road travel safer and improve the crash investigation process.
The Illinois Association of Technical Accident Investigators (IATAI) intentionally crashed a car into a semi truck last week. A number of different professionals make up the IATAI, including law enforcement officers, trucking companies, insurance providers and consultants.
The crash test was part of a state-wide conference taking place throughout the week. The hope is that, through test crashes, the organization can collect data and apply it to real-life incidents.
Professionals can then take this information, use it during accident investigations or as a reference, while testifying in court. IATAI takes pictures and notes that others can study and learn about things like tire reactions and speeds leading up to a crash.
Young driver killed in motorcycle accident
Chicago motorcyclists can be truly passionate about riding. Some people consider riding a hobby, others a lifestyle. Either way, riding motorcycles embodies happiness and thrill for many. Unfortunately, this thrill comes at a great risk. When it comes to accidents, motorcycles are simply not a worthy opponent against the other vehicles on the road.
By their very nature, motorcycles are small, and can be tricky to spot on the road. These features make them prime targets for serious accidents. A recent motorcycle accident in Dixon, Illinois left a young rider dead.
The 20-year-old died after his motorcycle crashed into another car. The accident occurred around 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning. According to police, a 78-year-old man from Dixon was travelling west when he tried to make a left-hand turn from the left-turn lane. As he turned, he crashed into the motorcyclist who was travelling east.
The young rider was taken to a nearby hospital and eventually life-flighted to a hospital in Rockford, Illinois, but he did not survive. The elderly driver of the car and another passenger did not sustain any injuries.
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.
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