Police Looking For Semi Driver Who Critically Injured Chicago Bicyclist

Chicago police have issued an alert, asking the public for help tracking down the driver of a white semi tractor who struck and critically injured a bicyclist on Tuesday afternoon in McKinley Park. Still photos taken from surveillance video were posted on Twitter last night by the CPD showing the vehicle on South Ashland Avenue a few minutes before the incident:

The crash took place at approximately 4:25 p.m. on October 7th near the 3600 block of South Ashland, according to DNAInfo Chicago.  The truck was heading south when he allegedly hit a 47 year old man on a bicycle then left the scene.  Police describe the driver as a white male in this thirties with a slender to medium build, blonde hair with a short clean cut beard.  Anyone with information about this incident or the driver is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department Major Accident Investigation United at 312.745.4521.  The name of the bicyclist has not been released.

Unfortunately hit and run incidents like this are not uncommon. Recently, our law firm held a trucking company responsible for causing injury to a bicyclist even though the driver left the scene and was never located.  Illinois law dictates that a commercial truck bearing a company logo and US-DOT number of a corporation is operating pursuant to the corporation's authority, and therefore, the corporation is vicariously liable for the driver's negligence.  It is a bit difficult to see markings on the truck involved in Tuesday's incident in the photo released by police.  However, closer study of the video may reveal the name of the trucking company and the vehicle's U.S. DOT number.  Hopefully, the driver will be located and held responsible.  But if he is not, it may be possible to hold his employer liable for the damage he caused.

Bicyclist Killed In Bridgeport Hit and Run Was Caring Woman

Suai Xie, courtesy of DNAInfo

The 59 year old woman who was killed last week by a hit and run driver was a hard working, caring person. DNAInfo published a thoughtful article this morning about Suai Xie who was killed while riding her bike home from the grocery store in Bridgeport.  It is hugely important to tell the stories of the bicyclists who are killed and injured each year in our city and state.  Sometimes I worry about constantly using the short cut term "bicyclists."  These are people with life stories and families who happened to have been riding a bike.

Check out the full article about Suai Xie here.

Search On For Grey SUV That Fled After Striking, Injuring Chicago Bicyclist

We are seeking the public's help to track down the driver of a grey SUV that struck and injured a female bicyclist near North Broadway and West Hollywood Avenue on the evening of July 31st.  The 23 year old woman was riding north on Broadway, having just passed the intersection with Hollywood at around 9:20 p.m., when she was hit by the driver turning left into a gas station from southbound Broadway.  The driver may have been trying to avoid the light at Broadway and Hollywood which turned red after the cyclist emerged from the intersection.  In was raining steadily at the time.  Video of the crash obtained from the gas station clearly shows the grey vehicle hit the bicyclist (circled in red in the screen capture image above), before fleeing the scene.  The video also shows the SUV speed through the gas station then turn eastbound on Hollywood toward Lake Shore Drive.  (The time noted in the video is not accurate.)

The quality of the video obtained from the Shell station at 5701 North Broadway is not good enough to reveal the license plate on the vehicle.  Hoping to identify the vehicle after it fled east on Hollywood, we obtained video from the red light camera at Hollywood and Sheridan Road.  However, due to the dark, rainy conditions that video is also of poor quality and the vehicle cannot be identified.  Also, we are not certain that the driver continued all the way to Sheridan Road after the incident.

Chicago police are investigating the crash and are actively looking for the driver.

The bicyclist was taken to Evanston Hospital following the collision with a injured left knee. A full assessment of her knee injury will not be known until the swelling subsides.  She is expected to recover from her injuries.

If anyone has information that may help in identifying the vehicle or driver involved in this incident please contact the Freeman Kevenides Law Firm at 312.629.1901.  You may also email me at brendan@fklawillinois.com

Visiting Cyclist Struck By Hit & Run Driver In Logan Square

A bicyclist visiting Chicago from Brooklyn did not receive a warm welcome to our city last Thursday.  The 29 year old man suffered significant injuries when he was struck by a hit and run driver while riding in the bike lane near 2207 North Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square on April 25th.  My law firm has been retained to represent the cyclist.

The incident occurred at around 4:35 p.m. on a beautiful, sunny afternoon as the bicyclist was riding north on Milwaukee on a bike he borrowed from the friend with whom he was staying for the weekend.  The crash occurring only a few hours after his arrival, he was still wearing the business suit he had donned for the flight from New York.  Chicago police responded to the scene and took statements from at least one witness, the identity of whom we are still waiting to learn.  It is unknown whether any witness to the crash got the license plate number of the driver.  Local area businesses, in particular Ultra Lounge and Taqueria Los Comales, have been very supportive in our efforts to investigate the crash.  Both business's owners provided access to their surveillance equipment to help us determine if a video recording of the incident exists.  Unfortunately, however, neither business's  camera captured an image that will materially assist our investigation.  A call to the Chicago Police Department's 14th District, which would have responded to the scene, resulted in being directed to the "Hit and Run Unit" which is a part of the CPD's Major Accident Investigation Unit.  When I spoke with a representative of the Unit today I was informed that no one would be assigned to investigate the hit and run incident until 12 days had passed from the date of the crash.  Only in the event of a fatality does the Unit respond contemporaneously, I was told.  We are awaiting receipt of the final Illinois Traffic Crash Report to learn the identities of any witnesses to the crash.

The bicyclist was rushed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, a level I trauma center.  There, he was diagnosed with cranial bleeding and was kept over night.  He also sustained a badly fractured nose and serious lateratious to his face which necessitated numerous stitches.  He was released from the hospital late Friday afternoon.  He returned to his home in Brooklyn yesterday.

If anyone has information that may help identify the driver of the vehicle please phone me at 312.803.0128 or contact me via email at bhk@mybikeadvocate.com.

Chicago Police Release Description Of Driver, Photo Of Vehicle That Critically Injured Bicyclist

Chicago police are looking for the driver of the vehicle pictured below who allegedly struck and seriously injured a bicyclist before fleeing the scene on September 24th, according to NBCChicago.com. 

Chicago Police Department

The incident occurred at around 4:00 p.m. in the 4100 block of West School Street.  The impact reportedly threw the 52 year old cyclist up onto the windshield of the vehicle.  The bicyclist was in critical condition after the collision though no updates on his present condition have been reported.  Soon after I posted about this event on September 25th an Anonymous person left a comment on this blog that the cyclist had "apparently died."  I have been unable to confirm that.

The CPD believes that the vehicle is a silver Toyota RAV4, of 1998-2000 vintage.  "The driver is described as a male Hispanic about 29-30 years old standing about 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-19 with a forearm tattoo wearing a black or gray graphic T-shirt," according to NBCChicago.com.

If you have any information please contact the CPD at 312.745.4521.