Antioch Man Involved in Fatal Lake County, Illinois Car Accident Was Allegedly Text Messaging and Drunk
Police have charged David Maish with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide over the Lake County, Illinois car crash that killed a Round Lake man on February 6. The victim, Santiago Balderas, was walking on Illinois Highway 59 when the vehicle that Maish was driving hit him.
According to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office Drug Prosecution Division, Maish’s blood alcohol was .142 at the time of the Antioch, Illinois pedestrian accident. He also had the painkiller hydrocodone in his system.
Drunk driving and texting while driving are activities that when done separately can prove deadly. Place a cell phone in the hands of a driver who is drunk and operating a motor vehicle at the same time and the chances of involvement in a car crash causing serious injuries and fatalities goes up.
It doesn’t matter whether or not a motorist who was negligent intended to harm anyone. What matters is that they did and that it caused great harm and suffering.
If this has happened to someone you love, you should speak with an experienced Antioch, Illinois car accident lawyer immediately.
Recently, the estate of Louis Johnson filed an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit against Ranada Ridenhour. Johnson, 71, was killed in a traffic crash last November when her car hit his car, which was then hit by a truck. The complaint contends that Ridenhour was texting while driving and under the influence of drugs.
Spring Grove man faces reckless homicide charge, Northwest Herald, April 8, 2011
Fatal southwestern Ill. crash prompts lawsuit, Chicago Tribune, April 7, 2011
Officials: Antioch man texting, intoxicated when he struck pedestrian, Triblocal, April 8, 2011
Fatal Crash Prompts Lawsuit, CBS, April 7, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving, US DOT
More Blog Posts:
Should Illinois Texting While Driving Ban Also Prohibit Internet, Facebook, and Twitter Use?, Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog, March 11, 2011
Illinois Court of Claims Awards $8M to Family of Uhl Sisters Killed in 2007 Car Crash Caused by State Trooper Accused of Speeding, Texting, and Cell Phone Driving, Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog, January 20, 2011
Cook County Cell Phone Accident Causes Serious Injuries to Berwyn Pedestrian, Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog, September 24, 2010
Our Chicago car accident law firm applauds efforts by lawmakers and safety advocates to increase awareness about the dangers of texting while driving. Unfortunately, as with other forms of negligent driving, there are still those who continue to engage in irresponsible and dangerous driving habits.
