Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Car Crash Not Because of Ice
There was no ice on Lake Shore Drive when a Chicago police officer’s squad car slid and crashed as he responded to a burglary. The crash took Sergeant Alan Haymaker’s life February 22, 2010. Police Supt. Jody Weiss said Wednesday, “Unfortunately, he had a very tragic accident. It’s possible the car aquaplaned on a puddle.”
Photo by JudyCrawford
Haymaker was honored with a moment's silence at police headquarters on Wednesday and speaking afterward, Weis said officers who were on the scene of Haymaker's death within minutes Monday morning found only "slush and standing water" on the road.
Weis' comments seem to contradict statements made by Assistant Supt. James Jackson, who said Monday that "icy road conditions were a factor" in Haymaker's death.
Those comments prompted questions about street maintenance with snow; many wondered if it had been salted in the hours before the accident.
But Weis said he had spoken with Streets and Sanitation chief Tom Byrne on Tuesday, and "I don't see any evidence that Streets and Sanitation dropped the ball."
Weis did acknowledged that the pool car Haymaker was driving was probably not "maintained to the same level" as an assigned beat car. Weis added that nobody had complained about the vehicle in the 1,000 miles it covered since it was serviced at the end of January.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Chicago Police Major Accidents Unit will be examining the car for defects, Weis said.
Regarding the burglary case, Weis said detectives have "some very promising leads" and stated that he wants the burglars charged with murder.
Car Accidents in Chicago
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No ice where crash killed cop: Weis, SunTimes.com, February 25, 2010
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