A man and a woman have sadly lost their lives in a motor vehicle collision in Illinois. In addition, a third person now faces a charge of driving under the influence (DUI) in connection with the fatal accident. The accident took place on a recent Tuesday evening along Route 17.
How the crash occurred
The recent fatal crash took place at around 5:55 p.m. According to authorities, a 24-year-old man was speeding and driving under the influence while traveling east along the state road. All of a sudden, he allegedly did not stop his car at a stoplight and therefore struck a pickup truck that a 77-year-old man was driving west along the road. Police said at the time, the pickup truck driver was attempting to make a left turn, as he had the green traffic arrow light.
Both the pickup truck driver and the car driver suffered injuries in the wreck. Meanwhile, the truck driver’s 72-year-old wife, who was a passenger in the truck, died in the crash. Likewise, the 27-year-old male passenger of the car passed away in the collision. The driver of the car was later arrested on an aggravated DUI charge in connection with the accident.
How an attorney can help in the aftermath of these tragedies
The surviving loved ones of the man and woman who died in the Illinois accident may choose to file wrongful death claims against the car driver, seeking the reimbursement of monetary damages sustained in the accident. If the car driver is ultimately convicted on his DUI charge, proof of the conviction may be offered in a related civil court proceeding in an effort to establish liability for the accident. If the plaintiffs are successful, they might be awarded monetary damages to cover their deceased loved ones’ burial costs and other expenses stemming from the fatal accident.