Illinois Injury Law Blog

Cook County Prosecutors added another charge against a Cook County sheriff’s officer who drove into a highway worker on an Eisenhower ramp back in September.

Offier Tony Lampkin, in uniform but off-duty at the time of the accident, allegedly hit Michael Ochoa, of Chicago, on an outbound Eisenhower ramp on September 2, 2009 after going around a car stopped at a traffic signal. Ochoa, who received minor injuries, was on the ramp to check the traffic signal. Lampkin also allegedly ran over the signal.

Officer Lampkin was not charged initially with any citations until Ochoa complained to the Illinois State Police, inquiring if Lampkin had not been charged because he was in uniform. Illinois State Police then issued citations on September 24, 2009 against Lampkin for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to yield to a worker in a construction zone. However, Illinois State Police denied any favoritism was at play and stated that charges were not issued right away because there was an issue over whether the area was a construction zone or not. And then today the charge of reckless driving was added to the charges.

Lampkin has stated that the car at the light had proceeded forward on green, then stopped unexpectedly, causing him to swerve. Frank Howard, an attorney for Lampkin, declined to comment on the new charge added, but told a reporter, “Be nice. It’s the holidays.”

Ochoa, who was not seriously injured, said he was glad the reckless driving charge was added. A bench trial was set for March 10 in Skokie, Illinois.

Car Accidents in Chicago

Unfortunately, car accidents occur regularly in Chicago and across the country. Sometimes it is because of negligence on the part of another person. It is our mission to assist those who may have been injured or harmed due to the negligence of another driver. Whether your injuries consist of whiplash or burns to your head or neck, nerve damage or spinal chord injures, broken or dislocated a bones or limbs, or loss of life, our attorneys are specifically trained to assist you in your time of need.

Sheriff's officer cited with reckless driving for hitting IDOT worker, Suntimes.com,
December 21, 2009

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A 4-year-old girl from Streamwood and a man from Huntley were critically injured in a head-on traffic accident November 24, 2009 on DeKalb County’s Plank Road, east of Lukens Road. DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies reported that the child, whose identity was not released, was listed in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of that evening. She was at Rockford Memorial Hospital in Rockford, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger A. Scott said.

The man from Huntley, Henry C. Rosales, 44, also was listed in critical condition at Rockford hospital that evening. Rosales was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Tracker east on Plank Road in unincorporated DeKalb County when a 2006 Toyota driven by Ummul B. Kazmi, 25, of Streamwood, crossed the center line and crashed into his Chevy.

Emergency crews had to extricate Rosales from the wreckage. Kazmi had minor injuries and was taken by Sycamore Fire Department paramedics to Kishwaukee Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition that evening.

The preliminary investigation revealed Kazmi was distracted by her daughter and was looking back at the child, who was in a child safety seat, when the car began to drift into the oncoming lane, Scott said.

No alcohol was involved and each driver was traveling within the 55 mph speed limit, he added.

The sheriff also said that distracted driving "is one of the common issues with all drivers." He added, "We tend to get distracted whether by music, the radio or (by drinking) coffee. There are a lot of potential distractions we all need to be aware of."

Plank Road also is a highly traveled road, a shortcut between Sycamore and the Chicago suburbs, that has had a number of accidents, Scott said.

He said deputies want to speak with a possible eyewitness, a person driving a dark-colored SUV or pickup, to provide more details about the accident.

The investigation is continuing and charges against Kazmi are pending while she tends to her child, Scott said.

Car Accidents in Chicago

Unfortunately, car accidents occur regularly in Chicago and across the country. Sometimes it is because of negligence on the part of another person. It is our mission to assist those who may have been injured or harmed due to the negligence of another driver. Whether your injuries consist of whiplash or burns to your head or neck, nerve damage or spinal chord injures, broken or dislocated a bones or limbs, or loss of life, our attorneys are specifically trained to assist you in your time of need.

2 critically injured in Plank Road accident, SuburbChicagoNews.com, November 25, 2009

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