Single vehicle crash in Illinois kills driver and passenger

Excessive speed was likely the cause of a fatal one-car accident during the early morning hours of Feb. 10 according to police in Illinois. The 29-year-old driver of the car and his 25-year-old male front-seat passenger lost their lives in the crash, which took place on Sheridan Road in Central Peoria at approximately 4:15 a.m. A second passenger was taken by paramedics to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center with what media accounts described as life-threatening injuries. A Peoria Police Department representative said that toxicology tests were being performed on a blood sample taken from the deceased driver.

According to a PPD report, the man lost control of his car as he was proceeding northbound on Sheridan Road at a high rate of speed. The car struck and damaged a utility pole at Eleanor Place before coming to a rest in the front yard of a nearby house. Firefighter’s officers arriving at the scene say the car sustained severe damage on its driver’s side.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. His front-seat passenger was pronounced dead about five hours later at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Neither of the men were wearing their seat belts according to reports. Firefighters found the surviving passenger lying on the ground near the wrecked car. They determined that he was also not wearing a seat belt and had been ejected.

Passengers injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by their driver’s negligent behavior may pursue legal remedies, but the damages they are awarded could be reduced if they also acted recklessly. This is why seat belt use is often a contentious issue in car accident lawsuits. In these situations, experienced personal injury attorneys may consult with medical experts to establish how badly their clients would have been injured if they had been properly restrained.

Source: The Journal Star, “Two killed in vehicle accident early Sunday in Peoria”, Nick Vlahos, Feb. 10, 2019