Pedestrian Narrowly Avoids Injury in Hit-and-Run

 Posted on October 16, 2012 in Personal Injury

Thomas Anderson, a 68-year-old radiologist narrowly missed a harrowing death in early October when a hit-and-run driver hit and injured one of the two dogs he was walking in Wicker Park. According to the Chicago Tribune, the “hit-and-run happened near the intersection of Damen Avenue and Schiller Street—three blocks south of where police said [Hector De Anda Martinez] already had sideswiped a taxi while speeding.” Martinez has since been charged with a felony aggravated DUI and cited for not having a valid driver’s license or insurance, police told the Tribune.

Rosey, a 10-year-old black Labrador retriever mix, was injured in the accident but not killed, and, according to the Tribune, is now recovering at home. After the accident occurred, a preliminary police report states, Martinez “accelerated from the crash without attempting to stop and exchange information or render aid.” According to DeadlyRoads.com, in Illinois “the driver of any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury or death of another person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of the accident.” Although a human was not injured in an accident such as the one experienced by Anderson, apparently the law still applies.

Anderson was lucky, to say the least, and doesn’t fit hit-and-run statistics in the state. It’s estimated that 80 percent of pedestrian deaths in Chicago every year are hit-and-run crashes, even though hit-and-run drivers face severe penalties. Police have taken several initiatives to slow this rate, such as the speed camera ordinances that resulted in traffic cameras being placed in several auspicious locations across Chicago.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a hit-and-run accident, you may be eligible for compensation. Don’t go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Cook County personal injury attorney today.

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