Car hits pedestrian in crosswalk

Car hits pedestrian in crosswalk

An Illinois driver has been accused of running his vehicle into a crowd of teenage joggers, striking and seriously injuring one of them. The accident happened in a crosswalk at 6:45 a.m. on Nov. 20.

An 18-year-old man was jogging with several others as part of their training for the Palatine High School cross-country track team. As they crossed Palatine Road at its intersection with Rohlwing Road, they reportedly encountered a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro that was apparently attempting to turn left from the southbound side of Rohlwing. Witnesses claim that the light was green for the Chevrolet when it entered the intersection. The Chevy did not stop in time to avoid running into the man, knocking him to the ground and causing him to suffer severe head trauma. He was taken to Park Ridge’s Lutheran General Hospital for treatment.

The driver of the Chevy was cited with failure to yield to a pedestrian inside a crosswalk for his part in the car accident. He was not reported to have been injured in the wreck, and no other members of the track team were hit.

An injured individual may contemplate legal action against anyone who they feel may have contributed to the accident that hurt them. The suit would be considered a civil case, and it is carried out in a distinct court, different from any pending criminal cases against the defendant. The outcome of the civil case is entirely independent from the criminal case, although information or evidence that becomes part of the public record in either trial may be freely utilized in the other proceeding. The assistance of a lawyer in gathering and organizing evidence can be advantageous to the plaintiff in a civil case.

Source: Palatine Patch, “Palatine H.S. Cross-Country Runner Injured in Crash; Driver Cited“, Amie Schaenzer , November 21, 2014