Another Lawsuit Filed In Streets & San. Crash
CHICAGO (STMW) - Two pedestrians injured in a May crash when an allegedly intoxicated city Department of Streets & Sanitation worker cashed into a crowd of people in the Gold Coast filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the driver and the city.
Richard and Leeann Chang claim they were injured May 21, 2011, when city employee Dwight Washington struck them with a work pick-up truck as they stood on the sidewalk at the southeast corner of Cedar and Rush streets, according to a suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.
Washington was driving a city-owned Ford F-150 pickup north on State Street when he lost control about 12:20 p.m., police said. Seven pedestrians, some of whom were models in a wedding photo shoot, were injured.
Washington, 61, was charged with four counts of felony aggravated DUI and two counts of misdemeanor DUI, police said. He was also cited for transporting open alcohol in a vehicle, failure to reduce speed and negligent driving.
The suit claims Washington drove under the influence of alcohol, drove on the sidewalk, failed to yield and didn't keep a proper lookout. It also claims he drove too fast, didn't decrease speed, didn't keep control of the truck and didn't take evasive.
On May 23, suits were filed on behalf of 20-month-old Tyler Jones and her 25-year-old nanny Jennifer Anton, who was pushing the little girl in a stroller at the time of the crash, the release said.
The six-count suit is seeking more than $300,00 plus the cost of the suit from Washington and the city of Chicago.
Washington remains in the Cook County Jail on $400,000 bond.
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