Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The driver responsible for a collision with a well-known Chicago bicyclist on Wednesday has been arrested and charged with reckless homicide, according to local police.
The bicyclist, described by his friends as a city cycling ambassador, was riding in the street in the 1300 block of North Clybourn Avenue on Wednesday evening when a southbound driver in a Mercedes struck him, causing a violent collision.
A nurse came upon the crash shortly after it occurred and rendered emergency treatment to the victim until paramedics arrived. He was transported to Northwestern Community Hospital where the cyclist later died.
The driver of the Mercedes stayed at the scene and was interviewed by responding officers. Based upon the collision, the driver was taken into custody and later charged with reckless homicide, felony aggravated driving under the influence involving death, and other misdemeanor charges.
The victim in this crash was known and liked by many in the Chicago bicycling community. He rode his bike to work everyday and was always happy to discuss biking with anyone who was interested. Friends say he was previously employed at an outdoor sporting store in Lincoln Park where he was all too happy to load up on biking gear and talk with customers about cycling in the city.
A regular at Chicago’s Critical Mass monthly bike rides, the victim was honored and remembered at last week’s ride from Daley Plaza through the city. The victim has also participated in rides specially designed to bring attention to bicycling safety, including the recent Ride of Silence that hit the city. Ride of Silence is a world-wide movement that organizes a ride in hundreds of cities on the same day at the same time to bring attention to bike safety and as a remembrance of those killed while riding.
The area of this collision allows bicyclist to ride in the same lane as vehicular traffic and requires bikers to follow the same rules of the road. In an effort to make the roads safer for cyclists and drivers alike, the city has taken significant steps to create designated bicycle lanes, separate bicycle traffic control signals, and even installing barriers between the lanes of bike and vehicle traffic in downtown areas to keep traffic as efficient and as safe as possible.
Despite the numerous safety steps taken, accidents like this still occur and still injure and kill hundreds of cyclists in Illinois every year. Most, if not all, of these collisions are avoidable and preventable but they still occur, often due to the negligence of a driver.
If you have been injured in a bicycle accident, you may have a claim for your injuries. Call the Chicago bike accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today at (312) 924-7575 and let us provide you with a free, no-obligation telephone consultation. We will discuss your case and answer your questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Prior Blog Entries:
$200,000 Settlement Reached for Injured Illinois Bicyclist That Was Hit By Driver On Cell Phone, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 30, 2013.
Bounce House Injuries on the Rise in Illinois and Elsewhere, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 29, 2013.
Resources:
Driver charged, Critical Mass ride set to memorialize bicyclist, Chicago Tribune, published May 31, 2013.