Biker Killed Way Home Motorcycle Rally

Every year avid motorcyclists from Illinois and around the country make the road trip for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. This year marked the 73rd annual rally. But for one motorcycle enthusiast, the year&s event would be his last.

A 54-year-old man who worked for the Arlington Heights Park Department in Illinois was killed on his way home from Sturgis. The motorcycle accident occurred in Woodstock on a Sunday. According to officials, the biker was travelling east on U.S. Route 41. As he approached an intersection in Woodstock he crashed into a minivan that was trying to make a left hand turn. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and he was not wearing a helmet. The driver of the minivan was transported to a nearby hospital, treated and released.

It appears that the minivan driver and the biker both ran a red light at the intersection. The driver of the minivan was cited for failing to yield in a left turn at an intersection. Local law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate the crash, but ruled out weather as a factor. As more details come forward, the family of the victim may consider filing a wrongful death claim against the minivan driver.

Although it appears that neither vehicle had the right of way, the evidence may reveal that the minivan driver&s negligence or reckless behavior caused the crash, as well as the victim&s death. If this is the case, a wrongful death lawsuit could generate justified compensation for the victim&s family. The man was a valued worker of the local park department, and as such a claim for lost wages could be included in the lawsuit, as well as expenses for the emotional toll.

Source: Chicago Tribune, "Arlington Heights Park District employee dies in Woodstock motorcycle crash," Elizabeth Owens-Schiele, Aug. 12, 2013