Motorist in River Forest Hit-and-Run of Bicyclist Arrested

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The Chicago Tribune is reporting that River Forest police have arrested a Hillside man for a bicycle vs. motor vehicle hit-and-run collision. The collision happened on Friday, March 18th at approximately 5:19 p.m. near Central and Lathrop Avenues in River Forest.

The driver of the motor vehicle made a left-hand turn directly into the bicyclist and then fled the scene. This is what is often referred to as a "left hook." Due to witnesses, police were able to track down the motorist and charge him with a series of moving violations. Witnesses also stated that the bicycle had the right-of-way and the motorist did not give the bicyclist time to clear the intersection.

The River Forest police should be commended for investigating this collision that many nearby municipalities may have considered "minor" and not worthy of an investigation. Under Illinois tort law, the bicyclist has a clear personal injury action against the motorist for the injuries that he sustained in the collision as well as medical bills, loss of a normal life, any lost wages and other damages.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com . All initial consultations are confidential and free.