Suspected drunk driving accident in Illinois kills 4, injures 1
The whole population of the Illinois town of Mendota is mourning the tragic deaths of four people in a recent accident. With a population of just 7,000, such a tragedy touches everybody, although none more than the families of the four young people who lost their lives. In addition to funeral and burial expenses, these families may now also have to manage without the incomes of their loved ones. Escalating the tragedy is the suspicion that it was a drunk driving accident, which means that it could likely have been avoided.
The Sheriff’s Department in LaSalle County reported that the SUV’s driver apparently lost control of the vehicle and struck a mailbox. The vehicle then crossed the road and slid down a steep bank before becoming airborne. All five occupants were ejected from the SUV before it came to a rest among some trees. Three males and one female, all in their early 20s, were killed instantly. The fifth victim, a 19-year-old female, was transported to a hospital and is reportedly fighting for her life.
While it was not officially reported, friends of the victims suggested that alcohol played a major role in the accident. Scheduled autopsies may provide some evidence, along with the results of toxicology tests that will only be available after some time. It remains to be seen if the families of the passengers in the vehicle will seek legal relief.
The families of the deceased victims may opt to consider wrongful death lawsuits in an Illinois civil courtroom as a result of this apparent drunk driving accident. Likewise, the seriously injured passenger may choose to proceed with a personal injury claim. These claims would typically be made against the estate of the deceased driver and anyone else who had an ownership interest in the car that crashed. As the community struggles to come to terms with the crash and prays for the recovery of the girl who survived the collision, the families will have the financial aspects of the tragedy to deal with at the same time that they are surely consumed by unspeakable grief.
Source: cltv.com, “2 brothers, 2 friends killed in crash near Mendota, Illinois“, Julie Unruh, May 16, 2014