Trucking company sued over fiery crash that killed man driving on I-80

A trucking company is being sued in connection with a fatal crash last month on Interstate 80 near southwest suburban Joliet.

The three-count lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Jennifer Djordjevic as estate administrator for Jugoslav Djordjevic, seeks more than $150,000 in damages from West Side Tranport, Inc. and one of the their operators, Douglass Norfleet.

At 6:12 a.m. Sept. 26, a disabled semi-tractor with a double trailer driven by 49-year-old Jugoslav Djordjevic was parked on the right shoulder of I-80 eastbound at milepost 129, according to Illinois State Police.

A replacement truck tractor came to assist him and parked on the shoulder in front of the disabled truck, state police said.

A third semi veered off onto the right shoulder, striking the rear of the double trailer before becoming engulfed in flames, authorities said.

Djordjevic, a La Grange resident, was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he died at 9:09 p.m., according to state police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of full-body burns in the crash, and his death was ruled an accident.

Douglass Norfleet was driving the third semi for West Side Transport, according to the suit.

Police said he was cited for improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Sami Guzick, 50, of Joliet, who was assisting Djordjevic’s disabled semi was also killed in the crash, authorities said.

According to the suit, Djordjevic suffered third-degree burns on over 90 percent of his body and was conscious at the scene before he was airlifted for treatment.

The suit claims Norfleet was negligent in his driving and that his actions contributed to Djordjevic’s death.

West Side Transport did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

The suit seeks a trial by jury.