Chicago Car Accident Attorney Blog

Chicago Police are looking for a car that caused a 3-car crash on Saturday which injured 9 people on the Bishop Ford Freeway (I-94) on Chicago's South Side.

The accident occurred on the Bishop Ford Freeway around 130th Street. None of the accident victims sustained threatening injuries, according to Illinois State Police.

Around 10 o'clock Saturday evening, a car struck a 2nd car in the northbound lanes. The 2nd car -- carrying 5 people inside -- struck a 3rd car before being pushed into a ditch.

The car which caused the accident fled the scene. Police where unable to get a description of the car.

No one in the third car required treatment.

One person was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in serious-to-critical condition, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Quention Curtis said.

Two more people were hospitalized in fair-to-serious condition -- one at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island and one at Roseland Community Hospital -- and four more refused medical treatment and were released at the scene, Curtis said.

Illinois State Police are investigating.

Road rage is to blame for the accident the killed 3 people Thursday night in Maywood, police said.

The crash happened around 10:30 p.m. at First and Chicago avenues, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Christopher A. McConnell, 21, of Oak Park, IL was chasing another car westbound on Chicago Avenue when he drove through a red light, broadsiding a Mercedes SUV which was entering the intersection on a green light, police said.

Nancy Tucki, 57, and Nicholas Randazzo, 36, both of Chicago, who were in the Mercedes, were killed.

McConnell was also killed.

According to Maywood Police Chief Tim Curry said the crash began over a road rage incident.

McConnell was upset when an 18 year old driving a minivan on Chicago Ave noticed McConnell's Honda stopped up on a curb against a stop sign. The 18 yr old notified River Forest Police.

“For some reason (McConnell) got angry,” attempting to engage the minivan driver with his car, Curry said.

The driver of the minivan driver attempted get away from McConnell, who followed him into Maywood. The minivan was able to cross irst Avenue against the red light.

“When (McConnell) got into the intersection, he broadsided a (Mercedes) SUV,” Curry said.

Randazzo was pronounced dead at the scene. Tucki and McConnell were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where they were pronounced dead at about 11 p.m.

No other people were involved in the accident. Medical examiners will perform an autopsy to find out whether McConnell was driving drunk or under the influence.

Illinois State Police are reconstructing the accident. .

“From the information we have so far, we don't see it as necessary to file charges against (the 18-year-old minivan driver),” he said.

McConnell has a record with local authorities. In Oct., he was charged with theft for stealing a River Forest woman's 1997 Saturn from the parking garage Oak Park-River Forest High School. The next day 11th District Chicago police stopped McConnell who was driving the stolen car.

Improper use of a child's safety seat remains the leading cause of injury and death in children riding in cars that are involved in accidents, according to experts.

According to research done by Dr. Karen Judy an assoc. professor in the pediatrics dept. at Loyola university Chicato Stritch School of Medicine, 70% of car seats are not properly installed. .

Using a child car seat properly is vital in keeping children safe in the event of an accident.

"If your child weighs less than 80 pounds and is shorter than 57 inches, a seat belt will lay across the child's neck and belly. In the event of an accident this puts pressure on sensitive areas with the potential for serious injuries, including spinal cord and abdominal injuries or even death. No matter how short the trip, if your child is in the car, he or she should be in a child safety seat," Judy said in the news release.

Dr. Judy offers the following tips to keep children safe in a car seat:

Make sure your child's car seat is the correct size for their age, height and weight. Infant car seats should always be placed rear-facing and can hold up carry an infant up to 22lbs. Children over the age of 1 and who weigh more than 20lbs can placed in forward facing car seats. These can be used until the child is at least 4 years, or weighs more than 40 lbs.

Over the age of 4 and up until 8 years, should use a booster seat until they are at least 4 feet 9 inches or taller, regardless of their age.

Children under the age of 13 should ride in the back seat. A child under the age of 13 and riding in the front seat of a car could be crushed by an airbag if it deploys.

Read all installation instructions carefully as well as any information containted in the owner's manual of your car which pertains to child safety seats. You can also have a professional check out your seat to make sure it is properly installed.

Safety seats should always be installed in the back seat.

When a child is in a safety seat, the harness should be level with the shoulders and the straps should be secure and tight.

If you can always use a new car seat. A used car seat may not have all of its parts including instructions on how to install it properly. Don't use a car seat that is more than 6 years old.

"By taking simple but important measures, parents can protect their children from the number one killer in our nation," Judy stated. She added that "studies have shown that by taking these precautions the likelihood of your child being killed or disabled in a motor vehicle crash decreases significantly. It's an easy way to save kids' lives."

IDOT, Illinois State Police and hundreds of police officers throughout the State of Illinois will be out in full force this holiday weekend.

They will be conducting late night safety checks, looking for drivers under the influence, enforcing seatbelt laws, all in an effort to reduce traffic related deaths which occur over the holiday.

During the 2009 4th of July weekend, 13 people were killed in accidents. Five of those accidents involved a driver under the influence. Over 800 people were injured over that same period.

Making the problem worse are the drivers who do not use their seatbelts at night.

"July 4th is a great time of celebration for our country, but too often, those celebrations can turn deadly because of impaired driving and a failure to buckle up," said IDOT secretary Gary Hanning. "That is why IDOT is working with Illinois law enforcement to remind motorists to designate a sober driver before celebrating. If you don't and you choose to drink and driver, you'll be arrested."