Man flees scene of Illinois car accident, leaves behind wounded

Automobile accidents are upsetting enough, but the misfortune is only compounded when the driver responsible flees the scene, leaving injured people behind. A recent car accident in Illinois involved just such a hit-and-run when, police say, the driver of a car ran a red light and caused a collision with a minivan. After the crash, the man driving the car fled the scene, leaving behind the occupants of the minivan, an injured woman and her three young children.

The accident occurred at approximately noon on Wednesday, March 29 in Peoria. Police say the car was headed north when the driver ran the light and smashed into the minivan, causing the van to slide further down the street. Meanwhile, the car skidded off the road and only came to a stop when it struck some posts in a nearby plaza.

Officials say that the driver jumped from his car and fled the scene. Witnesses claim that the man climbed into another car and left; further witnesses allege that this vehicle was stolen, but investigators do not believe this to be the case, according to police statements. The woman and all three children were transported to a local hospital. Reports indicate that the children’s injuries were minor, but the woman’s were life-threatening.

Authorities will doubtlessly continue attempting to find the driver, and once he is apprehended, he will likely face criminal charges. Regardless, the woman who was injured has the right to consult an Illinois lawyer to explore grounds for pursing a personal injury lawsuit, once fault or negligence is apparent on the man’s part. A successfully presented civil claim may result in compensation that could be used toward expenses such as the woman’s medical costs and other financial losses for the injuries she suffered in the car accident.

Source: pjstar.com, “One woman, three children hurt in Downtown Peoria crash”, Andy Kravetz, March 29, 2017