A fatal crash between a drunk driver and a motorcyclist last June has resulted in a 10 year prison sentence for the driver. The incident occurred last June in Naperville, Illinois and claimed the life of an innocent motorcyclist.
Not only was the at-fault driver under the influence of marijuana, he was also engaged in a road-rage incident that further caused him to driver recklessly and irresponsibly, making him a danger to himself and everyone on the road. The driver reportedly got into an argument with three teenagers in another car while stopped at a traffic light. He then attempted to chase down the teenagers and drove aggressively while doing so. As he was chasing the teens, the driver failed to exercise caution and collided with and killed a motorcyclist, who was a resident of Lombard and who died at the scene due to the severity of his injuries.
After the collision, the driver fled the scene but was later found by police officers who charged the man with aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. The driver was found guilty of both charges in March and was just sentenced this week. In addition, he was also charged with aggravated reckless driving and misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana, obstructing an officer, and failing to yield while turning left.
This crash was preventable and did not need to happen. Unfortunately the driver in this case got behind the wheel when he was unfit to do so and he should never have been driving that day. In addition to driving under the influence, the man engaged in a situation with another vehicle that led to road-rage and a fatal collision with an innocent biker. And if those two factors alone weren’t enough, the driver fled the scene of the crash, potentially delaying any chance the victim would have had to receive medical care or to speak with police, as he was required to do by law.
Any one of those behaviors can cause a crash but once they were combined, it is no surprise that the outcome was fatal in this case.
Road-rage is much more prevalent than realized in Illinois and it occurs daily. Some estimate that road-rage is a factor in more than 50 percent of the collisions that occur every year. Still, it is often overlooked as a serious problem facing all drivers.
Anyone can get irritated or annoyed while driving, particularly at the behavior of another driver. Though frustration may occur, it is never acceptable to let that anger accelerate to the point of road-rage. Road-rage is a series of risky actions or behaviors while driving that leads to an assault by one driver against another person, either with a motor vehicle or without one. It is also important to realize that road-rage is considered a criminal offense and not merely a traffic violation, meaning that drivers who exercise road-rage could face jail time even without causing a collision or hurting anyone.
The best way to avoid road-rage is to not rush to your location, try to remain calm while driving, and to accept that you cannot control the way other drivers drive. That being said, even the most careful and safest driver can be a victim of road-rage at any moment. The results are sometimes minor and may not even be an injury, but as this case demonstrates, the results all too often can be fatal.
If you have been a victim of road-rage, you have a right to bring a civil case against the person responsible for your injuries. You may be able to make a claim for any losses you sustained or any damages you incurred, including injuries and medical bills. Call the road-rage injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free telephone consultation regarding your case. We also offer free in-home and in-hospital consultations for those clients who wish to meet with us in person but are too injured to come to our office, so please call us today at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442 and let us help you.
Prior Blog Entries:
Van Driver in Illinois Crash that Killed 5 Had Suspended License, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published June 2, 2013.
Firery Illinois Crash Was Caused By Drunk Driver, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published May 31, 2013.
Resources:
Plainfield man gets 10 years for fatal road-rage crash, Chicago Tribune, published May 29, 2013.
Motorcyclist killed by motorist involved in unrelated ‘road rage’ incident, by Melissa Jenco, Chicago Tribune, published June 14, 2012.