Alleged street racer charged after death of car accident victim

On Behalf of Johnston Law Offices P.C   |   Mar 16, 2016   |   Car Accidents ,

Street racing is a dangerous activity that has caused many serious injuries and even some fatalities in Illinois in the past. The December death of an Aurora resident led to homicide charges filed against the driver alleged to be responsible. The 15-year-old daughter of the deceased driver also suffered injuries in the car accident. Both father and daughter had to be extricated from the wreck, and the father succumbed to critical injuries three days later.

The charges against the 20-year-old driver include reckless homicide, alleging his behavior caused the death that followed the crash. Reckless actions such as taking part in street racing, failure to maintain driving in a single traffic lane and multiple speeding allegations each formed part of the nine counts of reckless homicide. The initial charges were all traffic violations, but upon completion of the accident investigation, the charges were upgraded to felonies.

According to an accident report, this driver and a 16-year-old driver were allegedly involved in a high-speed drag race when the teen’s car crashed into the SUV of the 49-year-old man. The teen is also facing a reckless homicide charge, and a juvenile court hearing is scheduled for later this month. Reckless homicide is punishable by a prison sentence of two to five years, and aggravated street racing could lead to one to 12 years in prison.

Losing a loved one in such a tragic car accident will naturally cause extreme trauma. Along with the emotional hardship, surviving family members will also have to cope with the financial consequences. Medical expenses for the time leading up to the man’s death, end-of-life expenses and the sudden loss of income can cause havoc in the financial stability of any family. Fortunately, financial relief may be pursued by filing a wrongful death lawsuit in an Illinois civil court. Upon establishment of negligence, the court will consider entering a monetary judgment to cover documented financial and emotional losses.

Source: Chicago Tribune, “Reckless homicide charge in fatal Aurora accident“, March 8, 2016