According to 6ABC, in the early morning of June 9th, off-duty Officer Terrance Finely was speeding when he swerved to avoid another car that he claims cut him off. Finley’s Toyota Corolla went over a curb and crashed into Tony’s Amanly Steak located on 1757 W 87th St, Chicago, IL. A woman eating inside the restaurant with friends was struck by the car and was killed. Another woman was hospitalized for a leg injury but is in stable condition.
Police report that Finley’s blood alcohol content was over the legal limit of 0.08. He is being charged with reckless homicide with a motor vehicle, aggravated DUI/accidental death, driving under the influence, and a citation for failure to reduce speed.
Attorney contributor Guy D'Andrea helps victims injured by drunk drivers receive the financial compensation they deserve. Mr. Kent has offered his knowledge about the legal options after being hit by a drunk driver for victims and their families.
Victims that have been injured by drunk drivers may have grounds for two different lawsuits. The first being a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who injured them. The second being a dram shop lawsuit. Illinois is one of the many states with dram shop laws that allow victims of drunk driving accidents to file lawsuits against the alcohol vendors that served the drunk driver prior to the crash.
The dram shop laws of Illinois state that alcohol vendors, such as bars or restaurants, are prohibited from serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person. Additionally, alcohol vendors are prohibited from serving alcohol to a minor under the legal age of 21. If a licensed establishment violates either of these laws and that customer ends up causing an accident that injures someone else, the victim may have grounds for a dram shop lawsuit against the vendor.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk driving crash, it is best to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
https://6abc.com/off-duty-officer-charged-with-dui-in-deadly-chicago-crash/5341642/