Girl, 15, cited for Batavia crash that killed motorcyclist

A 15-year-old girl has been ticketed for a crash that killed a motorcyclist earlier this month in west suburban Batavia.

The girl was driving a 2009 Pontiac Vibe south on Randall Road and turning left onto Main Street about 8:20 p.m. Aug. 4, according to a statement from Batavia police. A 1994 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, driven by 20-year-old Justin Retheford-Speer, was heading north in the inside lane of Randall, approaching Main.

The Pontiac started to turn left before the driver saw the motorcycle, police said. It came to a stop mid-turn with part of the hood in the inside northbound lane.

The motorcycle started to skid after Retheford-Speer applied the brakes in an attempt to avoid the Pontiac, according to police. The bike fell onto its side and Retheford-Speer was thrown into the front end of the Pontiac.

Retheford-Speer, who lived in Oswego, was taken to Delnor Community Hospital in Geneva, where he was pronounced dead at 8:45 p.m., according to the Kane County coroner’s office and Batavia Fire Department. An autopsy indicated he died from multiple blunt force injuries from the crash, and his death was ruled an accident.

The girl, who lives in North Aurora, was cited for failure to yield turning left, police said. She had a valid learner’s permit at the time, and her passenger was a family member with a valid driver’s license. Neither was injured in the crash.

The girl is scheduled to appear in Kane County Branch Court in St. Charles on Sept. 13.