Road construction worker killed in alleged drunk driving accident

On Behalf of Johnston Law Offices P.C   |   Jun 27, 2014   |   Drunk Driving Accidents ,

Workers who are part of crews working on road construction in Illinois are likely aware of the constant threat of personal injury or death that may be caused by negligent motorists. Although the construction sites on the roads are typically cordoned off, and drivers receive fair warning when they approach, media reports regularly cover accidents where vehicles have smashed into construction workers. A driver was recently arrested after an alleged drunk driving accident killed a road construction worker.

A road construction worker was operating a paver in a work zone at a construction site on a Chicago road on a recent Saturday morning. One of his colleagues moved from his usual position in front, to assist his coworkers at the rear of the paver. A minivan, driven by a 19-year-old man, came crashing through the barriers that cordoned off the work zone, weaving between the barriers and finally smashing into the paver’s rear end. The 58-year-old worker who had gone to help at the back of the paver was killed in the accident.

The Assistant State’s Attorney said that the minivan driver’s blood alcohol test results showed .195, which is more than double the .08 legal limit. There were two passengers in the minivan, and they, along with the driver, suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital. Several workers were injured and received treatment at the accident scene. The minivan driver is now facing several charges related to homicide and DUI, along with having had no driver’s license or car insurance.

Following the alleged drunk driving accident, the family of the deceased construction worker retains the right to file a wrongful death claim in an Illinois civil court. Similarly, the injured passengers of the minivan may file personal injury claims against the driver, and if a third party owns the vehicle, he or she may also be named as a defendant. Recovery of medical and end-of-life expenses may result after successfully presented cases, along with any additional monetary damages as allowed by state laws.

Source: equipmentworld.com, “Chicago construction worker killed when drunk driver crashes through work zone and into a paver“, Wayne Grayson, June 23, 2014