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Potential driver distraction truck accident occurs in mid-July, leaving 1 man dead
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That man was a professor emeritus at DePaul University and a former Illinois state representative
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Truck driver seriously injured in collision and could face criminal charges
The state of Illinois recently lost a former Illinois state representative and more recent professor emeritus at DePaul University in a tragic truck accident. The fatal truck accident occurred along I-94 on a recent Friday afternoon when a semi-truck slammed into the rear of the Cadillac in which the 73-year-old man was traveling. The Cadillac was stopped in the wake of other traffic at the time. Emergency crews were in the process of fighting a grass fire located in the median of the highway. Officials reported that driver distraction may have contributed to the crash.
After the semi-truck smashed into the Cadillac, the smaller vehicle was shoved into the rear of a Pontiac driven by a 51-year-old woman. The 73-year-old man was rushed by emergency personnel to an area hospital to be treated. Sadly, however, he was pronounced dead at that medical center. His wife was also seriously injured in the truck crash, as was the truck driver. Both were transported to hospitals to receive treatment for those injuries.
It was not immediately clear whether any criminal charges would be filed against the truck driver. Authorities did say that the case would likely be submitted to the county prosecutor’s office to consider whether charges should be filed against that driver. They also indicated that the truck driver is being considered as having been “at-fault” for the collision. Crews were battling a grass fire in the median at the time of the accident, which may have distracted the driver of the truck.
The Semi-driver, a man from California was also seriously injured when he veered and crashed into the back of another semi.
Reports indicate that the man who died not only once served as an Illinois state representative but also the chief financial officer for Cook County back in the 1990s. The director of DePaul’s School of Public Service reported that colleagues and students thought highly of the professor emeritus. He apparently had an open-door policy and would be generous with offering feedback to others on their work in order to help them improve.
It seems clear that many in that college and community will be mourning this man’s untimely loss. A truck accident can leave family members reeling in the wake of a loved one’s death. Personal injury and wrongful death laws exist to help Missouri and Illinois residents recover financially from accidents involving driver distraction. Please call our St. Louis law firm toll-free at 1-888-586-7041 to find out how we can help you seek financial restitution in a civil court of law. While this won’t return a lost loved one to life, it can help you financially as you recover emotionally or physically from a truck crash.
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Sources: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/07/i-94_crash_victim_was_former_i.html