Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

A former Chicago High School basketball coach was convicted on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse following a bench trial yesterday. George Turner III, a former coach at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in Chicago, now faces up to seven years in prison for each count and must register as a sex offender. Turner was acquitted on charges of sexual assault.

During the course of the trial, the 46 year old Turner testified that he had sexually explicit conversations with two female students, one of which he supplied with sex toys and condoms. He also admitted that he participated in sexually charged conversations regarding the girls' sexual activity. One of the victims testified that Turner took her to a sex shop in the Lakeview area and then to a parking lot near Belmont harbor where he had her perform a sex act. Turner is accused of sexually assaulting the girl on several occasions between December 2007 and February 2008. Prosecutors allege that he also fondled the other victim in his office in February of 2008. Turner was fired from his position as the boys basketball coach on February 29, 2008, after the girls came forward.

Cook County Circuit Judge James Linn was quoted, “I do believe there was some touching that occurred that was criminal in nature.” Turner, who had no previous criminal history, must now register as a sex offender.

Sexual abuse victims are often reluctant to come forward and expose predators. If you have been a victim of sexual abuse and want to know your rights click here.

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An early morning Chicago car accident has left one dead and three others injured in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood. The fatal car accident occurred at the corner of Jackson St. and California Ave. around 3:30 a.m. this morning. According to reports, the collision left a maroon and gray southbound van flipped onto its roof. An unidentified sports utility vehicle was also left smoldering in the middle of the intersection following the car accident. The car was too damaged to be identified.

According to Chicago Fire Department Spokesman Larry Langford, the injured individuals were transported to Stroger Hospital and Mt. Sinai Hospital. The three injured victims were reportedly in serious to critical condition. The deceased individual, who was the driver of the SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the car crash are still under investigation.

If you have any questions related to a Chicago car accident or would otherwise like to speak to an attorney please click here.

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A Rockford, IL, woman was killed last Friday when a freight train derailed setting off a dangerous explosion. According to reports, the tragic train accident occurred at a rural Cherry Valley, IL, train intersection around 9 p.m. on Friday night. The train was heading from Freeport to Chicago when the derailment occurred. According to Canadian National Railway Company officials, the train comprised 18 cars loaded with ethanol. The train derailed as it was approaching the Cherry Valley intersection. Zoila Tellez of Rockford, IL, was killed trying to flee the intersection once the train derailed according to the Winnebago County Coroner. Three passengers were able to survive the flaming accident. A 17 year old girl injured in the accident was listed in critical but stable condition at the burn unit of Chicago’s Stroger Hospital.

Investigators have determined that there was high water along the tracks where the freight train derailed. The role that the rainwater played in the crash remains under investigation according to Robert Sumwaldt of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB says that it could take up to a year to indentify the cause of the train accident. The agency is presently looking for witnesses that might have observed the train accident for interviews.

Illinois train accidents are very dangerous and complex. If you have any questions regarding a train accident or you would like to speak to an experienced attorney click here.

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A fatal suburban Chicago DUI car accident claimed the life of a West Chicago teenager and injured two others last Sunday morning in St. Charles, IL. The single vehicle car accident occurred on the East Side of St. Charles in the 3100 block of Royal Fox Drive around 3:22 a.m. According to investigators from the St. Charles Police Department, a 2005 Ford Explorer was travelling south on Royal Fox Drive when it lost control and went off the road colliding with two trees. Accident responders had to use extrication tools to remove all four passengers from the vehicle. The accident claimed the life of 18 year-old Cameron Godee of West Chicago, IL, who was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the vehicle, 18 year old Onofrio Lorusso of the 4N000 block of Honey Hill Circle in Wayne, IL, was cited with driving under the influence, unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor, and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. He was taken to Delnor Community Hospital in Geneva, IL, with undisclosed injuries. Criminal charges may still be levied against Lorusso.

The vehicle also carried two back seat passengers which were injured in the car accident. A 16 year old boy was taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL, and a 17 year-old girl was taken to Delnor and then to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. The extent of the two backseat passengers’ injuries remain undisclosed. The Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team is currently investigating the accident and has named alcohol use as a contributing factor.

Alcohol related car accidents often cause serious personal injuries. If you have any questions regarding an alcohol related car accident please click here.

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A tragic south side Chicago car accident left one dead and two others hurt early last Sunday. The Chicago car accident occurred on the 300 block of East 61st St. around 12:45 a.m. According to Chicago police, the victims were injured when the Pontiac that they were driving in struck a light pole. The car accident claimed the life of Ulysses Washup, a 28 year old resident of the 6300 block of South Maplewood Avenue. Washup, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was subsequently pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. The driver and the second passenger were also taken to Stroger Hospital where they were reportedly listed in critical and stable condition respectively.

The 18 year old driver of the vehicle was issued traffic citations for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving without insurance, driving without a license, negligent driving and carrying a passenger in the vehicle without a seatbelt. It remains unclear whether Washup was the one who was not wearing a seat belt.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Illinois car accident you should contact a Chicago personal injury attorney to investigate the accident. For more information on obtaining an Illinois car accident lawyer click here.

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A propane gas explosion left four injured at an outdoor Chicago café last Wednesday. The accident occurred at Cyrano’s Café, a restaurant located on the Chicago Riverwalk between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. According to the owner of the café, the explosion occurred as cooks were preparing the kitchen for the day. Two of the cooks were injured while working at the Chicago restaurant.

The Chicago Fire Department issued a citation to the downtown Chicago restaurant for several fire code violations. According to spokesman Larry Langford, the restaurant was cited for improper installation of lines and valves on the grill, no certification of installer, improper placement of liquid propane gas tanks and a lack of proper fire suppression or extinguishers for restaurant use. The fire code further requires the restaurant to maintain two 20-pound fire extinguishers designed to put out kitchen fires. A serviceman for AmeriGas attributed the explosion to a minor gas leak in the propane tank. The tank has been repaired.

One victim of the Chicago accident was listed in critical condition while three others were in fair to serious condition. All four were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital via fire ambulance according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Quention Curtis. Four other individuals that were slightly injured in the accident declined treatment.

The cooks that were injured in the explosion may have a workers’ compensation claim. Work related injuries are generally covered by the Illinois Workers Compensation Act. If you have any questions regarding workers’ compensation click here.

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A deadly rollover Illinois car accident resulted in one death and one injury yesterday morning on Chicago’s west side. The tragic car accident occurred at the 3900 block of West Division in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago around 7:30 a.m. According to Chicago Police Sgt. Antoinette Ursitti, a 2002 Nissan XTerra travelling eastbound on Division Street went through a red light at the intersection of Pulaski and Division. The car struck the rear of a 2005 Ford Taurus that was heading north on Pulaski. The driver of the Xterra lost control of his vehicle causing it to hit a pole and roll over.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Chicago car accident caused the death of Francisco Delgado of the 1800 block of West Erie Street. Delgado was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center around 8:14 a.m. He was a passenger in the XTerra at the time of the car crash. The driver of that vehicle was taken to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center in critical condition according to a Chicago Fire Department Spokesman. The female driver of the Taurus was treated for minor injuries at St. Mary’s Hospital. Police investigating the accident said that charges are pending against the driver of the XTerra. It is unclear whether or not drinking played a role in the Chicago car accident.

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Leaves One Dead, another Injured" »

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A Maine East High School teacher faces sexual abuse charges stemming from an ongoing relationship she had with a former student. Jennifer Espinosa, a 38 year old resident of Park Ridge, IL, appeared in Skokie Bond Court on Monday where she was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault. Aggravated criminal sexual assault is a Class 2 felony carrying a sentence that ranges from three to seven years. Espinosa is a science and special education teacher at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Espinosa was arrested last Saturday night when Cook County Sheriff’s police approached a vehicle parked in the Golf Terrace Apartments in the 9600 block of North Golf Terrace in Des Plaines, IL. The 2009 Honda Pilot reportedly smelled of marijuana. Police discovered Espinosa in the car along with a 16 year old boy and a 22 year old man. The 22 year old, Alejandro Landi of Niles, was charged with misdemeanor drug possession. During subsequent questioning Espinosa admitted that she was a former teacher and mentor of the 16 year old boy in the car. She revealed that over the course of the previous eight months she had sex with the boy in her car, at her house and at the school. She reportedly admitted to police that she ‘loves’ the former 16 year-old student with whom she had an ongoing sexual relationship. Espinosa claims that the relationship began only after the boy was expelled. Both the teenager and the male passenger are suspected gang members.

If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, you should retain a lawyer experienced in handling these sensitive and difficult matters. For more information on obtaining an attorney click here.

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The Memorial Day weekend turned out to be a deadly one for Chicago area motorcyclists as three separate accidents resulted in six deaths. The largest of the three accidents occurred in South Suburban Oak Forest. According to police, a southbound biker entered an emergency turnaround on Interstate 57 near the 185th Street exit on Saturday night. The motorcyclist reportedly turned around to go back north at which point three other northbound bikers crashed into the motorcyclist. The accident claimed the lives of 47 year-old Michael Adams of Kankakee, IL, 34 year-old Sean Darke of the South Side of Chicago, and 20 year-old passenger Brianna Moore of Calumet City. The biker that attempted to make the northbound turn survived the tragic accident and received two traffic citations. Another biker was listed in critical condition and two more in stable condition following the Chicago expressway accident.

Just twelve hours earlier Wade and Denise Thomas of St. Charles, IL, were killed when their motorcycle was struck in a chain reaction vehicle accident in Elburn, IL. That accident involved three vehicles and six motorcyclists.

A third Chicago area motorcycle accident claimed the life of 30 year old Martez Nile when he crashed his motorcycle at Dalton Avenue and Crandon Road in Calumet City yesterday. Details of the motorcycle crash have not yet been released.

Continue reading "Chicago Memorial Day Motorcycle Accidents Result in Six Deaths" »

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A teenage driver involved in a 2007 Elgin car accident testified on Monday that she had a green light when her car was hit by a Chicago area nun. The car accident, which occurred around 12:00 a.m. on October 7, 2007, at the corner of Randall Road and Illinois Highway 27, resulted in the death of a 16 year-old boy. Sister Marie Marot, a French nun, now faces trial on charges of disobeying a traffic control device. Both Marot and 16 year-old Alexis Pena claim that they had a green signal at the intersection when the car crash occurred. The passenger in Pena’s car, 16 year-old Keith Forbes of Carpentersville, IL, was killed in the accident. According to reports, the van that Marot was driving struck the right rear of Pena’s Honda in the aforementioned intersection while she and three other passengers were heading west on Illinois Route 72.

Kane County Circuit Court Judge Ron Matekaitis has ruled that Marot could wear her habit to court despite the prosecution’s contention that the garb might influence the jury. The judge has also determined that that the jury will not hear testimony relating to the death of Forbes as such evidence could be overly prejudicial to Marot. Marot, a member of the Fraternite Notre Dame order, was on her way home to the Chicago convent after working at an Algonquin pastry shop operated by the nuns when the accident occurred. Marot was accompanied by about twenty other nuns to the first day of trial.

UPDATE: Sister Marie Myrot was found not guilty Tuesday of disobeying a traffic signal in the tragic Chicago car accident.

Continue reading "Nun Accused of Running Red Light in Illinois Car Accident that Caused Teen Death" »

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A Chicago man was charged with DUI after a Monday night car accident that left one dead. Tommie Taylor, a 24 year old resident of the 3600 block of South Lake Park Avenue, was charged with aggravated DUI, driving without a valid driver’s license, and driving without insurance according to Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Michelle Tufenkjian. The Illinois car accident occurred in the northbound lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway at the 79th Street exit around 10:40 p.m. last Monday night. According to reports Taylor, who was already driving on a suspended license from a previous DUI conviction, lost control of his Cadillac sedan and sideswiped a Ford Crown Victoria. The Crown Victoria then struck a barrier wall partially ejecting the driver of the vehicle. The Cadillac driven by Taylor came to a stop in the far right lane.

The driver of the Crown Victoria, 30 year old Justin Hopkins of the 300 block of West 68th Street, was killed as a result of the Chicago car accident. Hopkins was pronounced dead at 11:20 p.m. at Stroger Hospital. Neither Taylor nor the two passengers in his vehicle suffered injuries as a result of the car accident. Taylor’s blood alcohol level has not been released as the car accident remains under investigation.

Continue reading "Chicago Man Faces DUI Charges Following Expressway Car Accident" »

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A tragic Chicago car accident left one dead and seven injured last night on Chicago’s South Side around 7:50 p.m. The three car crash occurred near the corner of 43rd St. and Western Avenue around 7:50 p.m. according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva. The accident occurred when a northbound 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier driven by a 38 year-old man who is now in custody drove through the intersection while the traffic light was red and struck a 1993 Lexus. The Lexus was subsequently forced into a 2004 Toyota Corolla stopped at the southbound red light on Western Avenue. The driver of the Lexus, 45 year old Calvin Hatten of the 200 block of West 14th Place, was killed as a result of the collision according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Three others were listed in serious to critical condition while four were listed in fair to serious condition. Victims of the Chicago car accident were taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, St. Anthony Hospital and Stroger Hostpital. All other victims were listed in stable condition as of Monday.

The 27 year old driver of the Cavalier was taken into police custody and sent to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he is listed in stable condition. The driver was allegedly intoxicated when he disregarded the red light and drove through the intersection. Charges against the alleged drunk driver are pending. The Chicago Police Major Accident Unit is still investigating the fatal Chicago car accident.

Continue reading "South Side Chicago Drunk Driver Car Accident Leaves one dead, seven injured" »

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