Last week Illinois bus accident attorneys at our office reported that a pedestrian was hit and killed by a tour bus in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. Now the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the bus driver involved has been charged with aggravated DUI, a felony.
The deadly Chicago pedestrian accident occurred last Tuesday night just before 7 PM at the intersection of Columbus and E. Illinois St. The 26-year-old victim was crossing with a green light and was hit as the bus was turning onto Columbus.
It is now being alleged that the 47-year-old bus driver was under the influence at the time of the incident. He reportedly tested positive for cocaine after the accident.
At a bond hearing last Thursday, Cook County Judge Israel Desierto ordered the defendant held without bond.
The Sun-Times article goes on to state that tour bus company officials would not respond to the request for comment, and that court records show the driver was ticketed approximate 20 times for traffic violations between 1988 and 2008.
In a bizarre twist, after being arrested due to the pedestrian accident, authorities realized the defendant was wanted in two sexual assault cases involving minor girls. Further, the bus driver had been sentenced to eight years in prison back in the 1990s for aggravated criminal sexual assault. That case involved a six-year-old minor. He also was sentenced to four years in prison in the 1980s for attempted rape and aggravated battery.
The driver was hired by the tour bus company around six months ago. The bus company will likely have to answer some tough questions as to how the driver was hired with such an extensive criminal and traffic history.
It is not been reported if the victim’s family has hired a Chicago injury lawyer or if a civil lawsuit has been filed.
Click here to read the story as reported by NBC news and ABC news in Chicago.