They say the pest predictor of future behavior is past behavior. This adage isn’t necessarily true in every situation. But it certainly appears to have some merit when looking at the case of a deadly auto-bicycle accident that took place in Illinois back in early autumn of last year.
Back on September 25 shortly before 7:30am, a 36-year old Aurora man was driving his 2006 Nissan Titan pickup truck just south of Interstate 88 on the northeast side of Naperville. According to police, the truck was heading east on Diehl Road near DeVry University at the same time that a bicyclist was trying to cross the street on the east side of the intersection with Freedom Drive. The truck struck the bicycle, and the 56-year old woman on the bike had to be rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
The man later told police that he “just felt like he hit somebody.” Earlier this month, the man was charged with driving under the influence of narcotics in connection with the auto accident. As it turns out, the man had previously served more than two months in jail for driving under the influence of alcohol. His record also includes arrests for drug-related offenses as well as charges of burglary and resisting arrest.
Though the details of the incident are still unclear, it’s apparent that the Aurora man’s DUI impairment will play a significant role in the assignation of blame in this case. As a result, the surviving family members of the 56-year old woman may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the pickup truck driver. This type of lawsuit could allow the plaintiffs to collect reimbursement for hospital and burial expenses, estimates future wages that the woman would have earned in her lifetime had the crash never taken place, and monetary damages for pain and suffering and loss of care or companionship.