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Auto Accident

Lynwood Village Employee Pleads Not Guilty to Reckless Homicide
Mar 31, 2011

March 31, 2011 - A Lynwood village employee appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday to answer to charges stemming from a fatal car crash in February. According to a report at the Chicago Tribune, the 64-year-old man, who was employed as clerk for the Village of Lynwood, pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide and aggravated DUI.

The 64-year-old man was behind the wheel of a village-owned vehicle on the morning of Feb. 4 when he drove the wrong way on Illinois Highway 394 and crashed head-on into 2 vehicles. A 32-year-old woman and mother of 4 from Chicago was killed in the crash. Prosecutors allege that the driver was drinking alcohol at a fundraiser and then a local bar before causing the fatal car accident. Police say his blood-alcohol level was 0.135, which is well above the legal limit of 0.08. The driver is still recovering from leg injuries he suffered in the fatal accident, and he attended the court hearing in a wheelchair.

In addition to the criminal case, the victim's family has filed a civil suit against the driver and the village of Lynwood.
Car Fleeing Gunshots Crashes Into Chicago CTA Bus
Mar 30, 2011

March 30, 2011 - Police are investigating a bizarre accident involving a passenger vehicle and a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus that left 11 people injured on Tuesday morning. According to a report at CBS Chicago, the car that caused the crash was fleeing gunfire from another vehicle.

Police say the car-train accident occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning on the city's South Side. Witnesses saw a black two-door vehicle drive around the corner of Vincennes Avenue at a high rate of speed. The car, with 2 passengers inside, blew through a red light and broadsided the CTA bus near the intersection with 75^th Street.

Witnesses say the car was fleeing gunfire, which presumably was coming from another vehicle. That vehicle was not identified. The CTA bus crashed into a utility pole before coming to a rest in a vacant lot off of 75^th Street.

In total, 11 people suffered personal injuries in this train crash and were transported to nearby hospitals, including Advocate Christ Medical Center, Stroger Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center. Authorities say some of the victims were admitted in serious condition, but all are expected to survive. Police have not determined where the gunshots originated.
Two-Car Accident Injures 7 on Chicago's West Side
Mar 29, 2011

March 29, 2011 - A two-car collision on Chicago's West Side left 7 people with personal injuries on Monday morning. According to a report at the Chicago Breaking News Center, police are still investigating this serious car crash and have not yet determined what caused it. The car accident took place just after midnight on Monday morning.

Police say 2 vehicles crashed into each other at the intersection of Division Street and Lamon Avenue in the North Austin neighborhood on the West Side. Investigators have not yet determined who was at fault or if one of the drivers ran a red light. There were 7 people in the 2 cars, and all suffered some degree of personal injury.

The victims are being treated for their injuries at Mount Sinai Hospital, Loretto Hospital and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. Their identities have not yet been released, and authorities have no information on their current conditions.

The Chicago Police Department is still investigating this car accident, likely with assistance from the Major Accidents Investigation Unit. More information will be added if and when it becomes available.
Single-Vehicle Accident Kills 1 in West Town
Mar 28, 2011

March 28, 2011 - One person was killed in a single-vehicle accident in Chicago's West Town neighborhood on Saturday night. According to a report at the Chicago Tribune, excessive speed played a role in this fatal crash. The car accident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Police say the victim was driving a 2006 Audi eastbound on West Grand Avenue in West Town when she lost control of the vehicle. The car crossed the center median, and though it avoided oncoming traffic, the Audi crashed into a utility pole near the intersection with Artesian Avenue. According to reports, the victim was speeding at the time of the accident, although her exact speed was not disclosed.

The victim, who was the sole occupant in the vehicle, died shortly after the single-vehicle accident at a nearby hospital. She has been identified as a 26-year-old woman from Niles, Michigan. Friends say she has lived in Chicago for several years.

The Major Accident Investigations Unit with the Chicago Police Department is still investigating this fatal accident, although they have already determined that speed likely played a role. Investigators will also seek to determine if alcohol contributed to the crash.
16-Year-Old Boy Dies in Arlington Heights Single Vehicle Crash
Mar 25, 2011

March 25, 2011 - An Arlington Heights family is mourning the loss of a 16-year-old boy after he was killed in a single-vehicle accident on Thursday. As reported at the Chicago Breaking News Center, the victim was a passenger in a car driven by another teenager. The fatal car accident occurred shortly after midnight in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Police say the victim, a 16-year-old boy from Arlington Heights, was riding in the front seat when the driver of a Hyundai Sonata lost control of the vehicle while navigating a bend on South Windsor Drive. The car veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The Hyundai was extensively damaged, and first responders were forced to cut parts of the wreckage away to free the occupants.

The victim was transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in critical condition; he was pronounced dead around 8 a.m. on Thursday morning. The driver, a 16-year-old boy, suffered minor injuries.

Investigators say the driver was traveling near the speed limit, and they do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a role. The area was experiencing snow flurries at the time of the single vehicle crash, so authorities speculate that the road may have been slick. The investigation is ongoing.
Chicago Man Killed in Tragic Pin-In Wreck
Mar 25, 2011

March 25, 2011 - A Chicago man died on Wednesday after he was pinned in the wreckage of a tragic car crash in suburban Evanston. According to a report at the Chicago Tribune, the fatal car accident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Police say 2 vehicles were involved in the crash, which took place at the intersection of Elgin Road and Ewing Avenue in Evanston. Investigators have not yet determined how the fatal accident occurred or how many passengers were involved. One of the victims, a 39-year-old man from Chicago, was pinned in the wreckage, and it took first responders nearly 20 minutes to free him from the vehicle. Pictures from the scene show a black four-door car that is almost totally destroyed. The car's front end is completely crushed, and the hood of the vehicle was cut away to free passengers.

The 39-year-old man was transported to NorthShore University HealthSystems Evanston Hospital, where he died just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday night. Another man was also taken to NorthShore hospital, but his identity has not been released and the extent of his injuries is currently unknown.
Car Crash on Lake Shore Drive Injures 4
Mar 24, 2011

March 24, 2011 - Four people suffered personal injuries on Sunday in a car accident on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. According to a report at My Fox Chicago, the victims were trapped and needed to be freed from the car accident wreckage by emergency personnel. The accident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Police say the car accident took place on a bend in North Lake Shore Drive that has been the scene of numerous car crashes in the past. Although they have not said how the car crash occurred or how many vehicles were involved, investigators reported that 4 people were injured. It is not known if all 4 of the victims were traveling in the same vehicle.

After they were freed from the wreckage, the victims were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Their identities have not yet been released. One of those victims was admitted in serious condition, but the other 3 people were listed in good condition.

This was the first of 2 car accidents that took place on Sunday on Lake Shore Drive. Moments later, 2 vehicles collided at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Chicago Avenue. However, it was not clear if that accident resulted in any injuries.
Toddler Run Over by a Car in Bridgeview
Mar 24, 2011

March 24, 2011 - A young child was killed on Tuesday when he was run over by a car at his family's home in Bridgeview. According to a report at the Chicago Breaking News Center, the tragic accident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the toddler was in the driveway of a home on South Odell Avenue in Bridgeview when he was run over by a car. Investigators believe a relative of the family was backing out of a driveway and the boy was behind the car. The victim, a 3-year-old boy, was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center with life-threatening personal injuries. Unfortunately, he died a short time later. The Cook County Medical Examiner will be performing an autopsy this week.

Police have not identified the relative involved or disclosed who was supervising the toddler at the time of the fatal accident. An accident reconstruction team is investigating along with officers from the Bridgeview Police Department. Although the investigation is not yet complete, officers have suggested that no charges will be filed. More information will be added if and when it becomes available.
Hit-and-Run Driver in Stevenson Crash Charged with DUI
Mar 21, 2011

March 21, 2011 - The driver who caused a fatal car accident last Thursday was intoxicated, police say. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the 40-year-old Chicago man is facing multiple charges stemming from the fatal crash, which happened just after 10 p.m. on Thursday evening.

Police say the driver was under the influence of alcohol when he hit a pedestrian on the Stevenson Expressway. The victim, a 30-year-old man, was standing on the right-hand shoulder of the Expressway attending to his disabled car. The drunk driver was traveling on the Expressway when he veered onto the shoulder and struck the victim with his vehicle near Damen Avenue. The driver then fled the scene, but police were able to track down his vehicle based on eyewitness testimonies. He was arrested a short time later on South Ellis Avenue.

The victim was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died less than 2 hours after the DUI accident. Police say the driver's blood-alcohol level was 0.161, which is well above the legal limit of 0.08. The driver, who has 3 previous convictions for DUI, has been charged with aggravated DUI. He was in court on Saturday, where a Cook County judge set his bail at $1 million.
Teen Victim’s Family Sues Chicago Drunk Driver
Mar 17, 2011

March 18, 2011 - A drunk driver who killed a teenage girl earlier this year is now facing a lawsuit from the victim's family. As reported by the Chicago Breaking News Center, the wrongful death lawsuit was filed on Tuesday alleging that the driver's negligent behavior directly contributed to the teen's death.

The drunk driving accident lawsuit stems from a fatal DUI accident on Jan. 22 in Chicago. The driver, a 20-year-old man, was behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer SUV that was traveling on North Artesian Avenue. The driver ran a stop sign in the 6700 block and broadsided another car at the intersection with West North Shore Avenue. The victim, a 17-year-old girl, was riding in the front passenger seat and was pronounced dead shortly after the DUI accident.

The driver is facing criminal charges in addition to the civil lawsuit. Back in January, he was charged with aggravated DUI, but he has not yet been seen in court. The lawsuit is asking for $1 million in damages and was instigated by the victim's mother and sister. The family has lived in the Chicago area for 5 years ever since they fled Iraq during the Iraq war.