June 22, 2009

Reward offered in Chicago fatal hit and run

A $1,000 reward is being offered by the family of a 13 year old Chicago boy who was struck and killed on April 3, as he was crossing the street.

Martin Urbina, was hit by a car near the 5900 block of South California. Witnesses describe the vehicle as a four door gold color car that sustained damage to the windshield when it hit Urbina.

Doctors at Advocate Christ medical Center in Oak Lawn, pronounced Urbina dead at approximately 9:00 pm on April 3.

Urbina's family of offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who may have information on the accident which leads to the arrest of the driver of the car.

If you have information about the accident please call 312-745-4521

June 21, 2009

Chicago squad car involved in crash

On Sunday two Chicago offers were responding to a call of a person, when their squad car collided with another vehicle.

The collision occured near Irving Park and Kimball. None of the injuries the officers suffered were life threatening. The driver of the other car was taken by ambulance to an area hospital. Their condition is uknown.

No citations were issued.

June 15, 2009

Chicago's red light cameras: cash cow or safety fix?

In Chicago there are things that people complain about regularly including the weather, the politicians and our never winning always losing sports teams.

Add red-light cameras to the list!

But no matter how much people complain about them, or how much they may not be liked, according to a recent Chicago Sun-Times analysis, they do seem to be doing their job.

The Sun-Times too a look at data available on all of the 140 red-light cameras in Chicago. It appears that the number of tickets issued at red-light camera intersections has seen a dramatic decrease. Since 2005, the number of violations has dropped over 70%.

Continue reading "Chicago's red light cameras: cash cow or safety fix?" »

June 11, 2009

Chicago CTA's Blue Line is back on track after car crash

Police say that rainy weather played a role in a crash that sent a car off the Eisenhower Expressway onto the Blue Line track causing the car to become pinned under an oncoming train.

Dale Ellis was a passenger on the train that was involved in the crash. "Just going on normally. All of a sudden it felt like we got hit by something. There was a dragging and a lot of shaking. All the lights went off in the car and the doors popped open. then the train finally came to a stop. Everybody was running around tyring to see if every body was okay."

Nine of the train's passengers were treated at area hospitals for minor injuries. Fortunately no on one was seriously injured.

June 11, 2009

Chicago grandmother stuck by hit-and-run driver

On May 14, Therea Perez was with her granddaughter when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver at Montrose and Kedzie in Chicago.

Authorities are looking to the public for help by releasing a surveillance video that caught the driver. They're hoping someone might recognize the driver.

Ms. Perez who was walking with her granddaughter from Our Lady of Mercy Church says that they were crossing Montrose and Kedzie. Ms. Perez said she felt that her and her granddaugher were in danger, but did not see the car coming. "All I could think of is my granddaugher is going to get hit I just pushed her forward, but he got me and it pushed me back."

"The glasses fell off my grandma's ear...They were on the street and I told them to pick it up because I couldn't," said Damary Rodriguez.

"All I rememeber seeing is white cloud. In my thoughts, in my head is "I'm dead.' I'm not going to make this. Then when I moved to the side and I saw her crawling toward me, 'grandma, grandma' she said. I said 'Im still alive,'" said Perez.

"At that point a vehicle that was turning off of Kedzie onto westbound Montrose sturck them in the crosswalk, did not stop, continued on without stopping to render aid or give information," said Elliott Musial, Chicago Police Department.

Police say the driver was driving a white SUV. Ms. Perez's family found the surveillance camera on a store located near the accident site. The owner agreed to save the video for authorities.

Ms. Perez expects that she would be incapacitated for six full weeks. Her granddaugher is there to help.

Theresa Perez worries that the driver of the vehichle could be so reckless that they would do it again. She wonders how someone can hit a child and a grandmother and then just dirve off.


May 14, 2009

Chicago Heights dad killed in DUI crash

Calvin Hatten, of Chicago Heights, was killed by a drunk driver on Sunday after the car he was driving was hit at Western Ave and 43rd st. Authorities said Hatten was poronounced dead shortly after 11pm.

The Hatten family has had its share of tragedy. Calvin Holme's, Hatten's son, was shot five times last may. Holmes, who uses a wheelchair and a cane is just now learning to walk again.

"We used to talked about (death)...so I was prepared said Holmes. "He used to tell me 'Don't cry when I die. He can't rest in peace if people are crying over him."

Hatten was driving home with his partner of 30 years and two daughters after visitng the Cook County jail where his 18 year old son is incarcerated.

They were traveling west on 43rd st, when a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalire ran a red light and hit Hatten's 1993 Lexus. Hatten's car hit another car. It appeared that the driver of the Cavalier was drunk.

Selena Holmes was injured in the crash with a head injury and four broken bones. According to Holmes, she can't feel the left side of her body.

Holme's younger sisters survived the crash.

May 7, 2009

Chicago jury awards $13.7 million in wrongful death lawsuit

The family of a salemsan killed in a high-speed crash was awarded $13.7 million by a Chicago jury.

Roger Czapski, 22, was working as a car saleman for BMW on August 4, 2004, when Christopher Maher, 22 came into his dealership to test drive a 2003 BWM 5301i sedan. Czapski was in the front passenger seat and two of Maher's friends were in the back.

Maher, was driving the car at a speed of approximately 90 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone, when the car clipped another vehicle and ran into a light pole. The front passenger side of the car took the brunt of the impact killing Czapski. Maher and his friends survied the crash but suffered serious injuries.

Maher, who pled guilty in 2005 to aggravated speeding received one year probation and 30 days of community service at the Cook County medical examiner's office. Czapski denied liability in the wronful death lawsuit.

Continue reading "Chicago jury awards $13.7 million in wrongful death lawsuit" »

May 4, 2009

Chicago man held without bond in connection with fatal car crash.

Joshua Enriquez, 25 is is been charged with murder and attempted murder after he purposely crashed his car into an autombile carrying four women. Enriquez's girlfiriend, Karina Paredes, survived the crash along with Maria Ortega, 21. Two other women were killed in the accident.

Police belive that a domestic issue exsted between Enriquez and his girlfriend.

"The first time Joshua threw his Jeep into my car, that was just like the biggest shock. After that, no one reacted. I just focused on driving faster and faster to try to get away from him. This was no accident. From the very first timehe hit us to the second and third time. He could have actually stopped." said Maria Ortega.

Enriquez is being held without bond.

May 1, 2009

Chicago Near North Side pedestrian hit by car

Authorities said a pedestrian was was serously injured at the intersectino of LaSalle St and Burton place around 9 am when they were hit by a vehicle.

According to the Chicago Fire Dept., the pedestrian was taken to Northwestern Hospital. suffering from serious injuries. No names have been released.

Investigator from the Major Accidents investigations Unit were investigating the accident. No other details are available.

April 30, 2009

Protecting children in car accidents

Ray Lahood, The Secretary for the US Department of Transportation announced plans urging US automakers to test its child safety seats. They are being asked by LaHood to recommend which child safety seats are the best at keeping children safe in each of its vehicles.

Regulators have studied side-impact tests for child safety seats but have not made them mandatory. According to Lahood, he would like automakers to crash test seats to determine which seat is best for which car.

The NHTSA provides guidlines for to help parents ensure the safety of their children in a car:

They are:

1. Until children are one year and they are at least 20lbs., their car seats should be placed in the back seat facing the rear of the car.

2. Child safety seats must continue to be placed in the back seat of the car, but facing foward, until the child reaches the age of four and weighs approximately 40lbs.

3. After reaching the 40lb weight limit, children should be placed in a booster safety seat
which ensures that they are seated high enough for proper seat belt fitting.

4. As long as the seatbelt fits properly, children around the age of eight and at least 57" tall, may be able to sit in the back seat without a booster.

April 18, 2009

Chicago aldeman says impounding vehicle cuts crime

Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen of the 38th ward is proposing that motorists who are caught driving on suspended or revoked licenses should have their vehicles impounded.

This is Allen's second attempt to have driving on a suspended or revoked license added to the offenses punishable with vehicle impoundment.

"Last time they said there was no room in the auto pounds. There was also concern about using impoundment to punish someone whose license was suspended for auto emissions," Allen said Monday.

"It's time to implement this ordinance. There were some pretty impressive testimony from the Police Department regarding the number of drug arrests and contraband found in vehicles driven by people with suspended or revoked licenses. It could help reduce some of the violence on our streets."

Continue reading "Chicago aldeman says impounding vehicle cuts crime" »

April 17, 2009

Chicago police sting to ticket drivers who don't yield to pedestrians

Beginning April 20, the Chicago Police Dept, will be deploying undercover police officers to various intersections throughout the city posing as pedestrians. The reason? To catch and ticket motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians.

In 2008, 50 pedestrian related accidents resulted in fatalities. Overall more than 3000 pedestrian related accidents were reported.

Brian Steele, a Transportation Department spokesman, would not disclose the locations of the undercover operations, but did say that most will be at intersections where there are no stoplights or stop signs.

The undercover operation to ticket motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians is part of the "Safe Streets for Chicago" campaign which has been ongoing for almost three years. The program is designed to improve safety conditions between motorists and pedestrians by using countdown signals, improving the markings on crosswalks, investing in infrastructure and educating the public.

Stings are designed to educate.

Continue reading "Chicago police sting to ticket drivers who don't yield to pedestrians" »