Chicago, Illinois - Former Teacher Errol Brice Accused of Driving Drunk, Crashing Into Bus Stop and Killing 1, Injuring Another

Errol Brice Charged with Reckless Homicide After Vehicle Hits Bus Shelter, Kills Woman

42-year-old former teacher Errol Brice has been charged with reckless homicide after allegedly crashing his SUV into a bus shelter, killing one woman and injuring a second in the process. Brice is charged with one felony count of reckless homicide with a motor vehicle.

Police say that at around 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, two women were at the bus shelter at 61st Street and King Drive in the Washington Park neighborhood when a Ford Explorer crashed through the shelter.

59-year-old Beverly Barney was hospitalized and eventually passed away on Sunday morning at the University of Chicago Hospitals. Another 60-year-old woman was hospitalized in good condition at St. Bernard Hospital.

After Brice was arrested, he allegedly told police that he had been drinking tequila before the crash. However, the Illinois State Police have not yet released the result of his blood-alcohol test.

Brice has a prior history of drunk driving and other driving offenses. He was convicted for DUI in 2003.

Brice has been ordered held on $50,000 bail and has another court appearance scheduled for September 5.

Attorney Commentary: Continue reading below if you are wondering about settlements after being hit by a drunk driver.

Legal Options For Drunk Driving Injury Victims & Their Families in Illinois

Personal injury lawyer, Guy D'Andrea, represents people who have been injured by drunk drivers and the families of fatal DUI crash victims. Here is what you should know if you or someone in your family has recently been hit by a drunk driver in Illinois:

In all states, people who have been injured by drunk drivers may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against that drunk driver. Additionally, the families of those killed by drunk drivers may have a case for a wrongful death lawsuit against the drunk driver.

However, the legal options available to these victims and families don’t always end with the driver’s liability. In some situations, these victims and families may have the right to file a “dram shop” lawsuit against an alcohol vendor who provided alcohol to the drunk driver before the crash.

According to Illinois dram shop law, alcohol vendors can be sued for injuries or deaths caused by their customers if:

• the person who caused the injury was intoxicated at the time of the injury,
• the vendor sold or gave the alcohol to the intoxicated person, who ingested it,
• the alcohol ingested by the intoxicated person was the cause of their intoxication,
• the victim’s injuries were at least partially caused by the intoxication, and
• as a result, the victim suffered personal injuries or property damage.

Each drunk driving injury case is unique. If you or a loved one has recently been hit by a drunk driver in Illinois, you can learn more about your legal rights by speaking with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers in a free consultation.

Sources

https://wgntv.com/2019/08/14/former-cps-teacher-drank-tequila-before-crashing-into-bus-stop-killing-woman-prosecutors-say/

https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2019/8/13/20804255/beverley-barney-dead-errol-brice-cps-charter-teacher-crash-charged-hit-run