Illinois woman killed in an accident involving a DUI

Illinois woman killed in an accident involving a DUI

An accident that took place on a mid-week summer night has taken the life of an Illinois woman. The 47-year-old female was a passenger in a pickup truck that was traveling near Neoga on Illinois Route 121 near the junction it makes with U.S. Route 45 when the accident occurred. One other vehicle was involved in the crash.

According to Illinois State Police, the Mattoon woman was pronounced dead at the scene after the vehicle in which she was riding rear-ended a tractor. The woman was not wearing a seat belt. The driver of the farm tractor, who is from nearby Neoga, had reduced speed to make a turn when his vehicle was overtaken and hit from behind by the pickup truck. The driver of the pickup, a 48-year-old man also from Mattoon, was treated and later released at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, according to a hospital representative. Media reports do not indicate if the driver of the tractor was injured or sought medical attention.

The state police news release said that the driver of the pickup was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol. The man was also ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Reports do not indicate any additional charges at this time; however, the family of a victim of wrongful death in Illinois can file a wrongful death suit to seek compensation for the pain and suffering and economic hardship brought about by loss of life due to the negligence of another.

No loss is easy, but the loss of a loved one through another’s negligence or carelessness can be particularly difficult for those who are grieving. An experienced Illinois attorney can help clients in wrongful death cases find some level of emotional closure as well as just compensation for their loss.

Source: Journal Gazette & Times-Courier, “Mattoon woman killed in Cumberland County accident Tuesday night”, June 12, 2013