Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog
A Chicago woman was struck and killed on Tuesday evening in a crosswalk on Columbus at Illinois in downtown Chicago. Witnesses to the accident have indicated that the Chicago pedestrian accident victim had the right of way in the crosswalk when she was struck by a large tour bus. The bus accident victim was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. She was pronounced dead at 7:04 p.m.
The bus driver, 47 year old David Soto, was taken into police custody following the fatal accident. At that point he allegedly tested positive for cocaine. He had worked for the Pontarelli Group Charter company for six months prior to the accident. Bail for Soto was denied yesterday at a bond hearing. Police allegedly found an investigative alert for two sex offenses when they ran Soto’s name after his arrest. He was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault in 1993 and was released from prison in 1997 and paroled until 2000. There were also sexual abuse allegations logged against in December of 2008. His driver’s license was reportedly suspended on August 3, 2008, when he received citations for speeding and driving without insurance. His license was valid at the time of the Chicago bus accident. He reportedly claimed that he did not see the accident victim crossing within the crosswalk and thought that he had struck a curb.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a wrongful death vehicle accident, you should contact an attorney to investigate the matter and preserve crucial evidence.