Suit: Man negligent in fatal crash to avoid deer in Barrington Hills

The father of a Barrington High School senior killed in a March crash in northwest suburban Barrington Hills is suing the driver of the vehicle she was riding in when it crashed while avoiding a deer in the road.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court by Randall Soderman as administrator of the estate of his daughter, Rebecca, according to court documents. The family seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

Just after 9 p.m. March 4, Matthew D. Zeek, 21, of Rolling Meadows was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu west on Plum Tree Road when when he saw a deer and swerved to the left and then to the right to avoid hitting it, according to the lawsuit and Barrington Hills police. The Malibu, in which Rebecca Soderman was a passenger, went off the road, rolled and struck a tree.

Rebecca Soderman was pronounced dead at a hospital from injuries she suffered in the crash, the Cook County medical examiners office said.

Zeek was subsequently charged with reckless homicide, according to police.

The suit said Zeek was driving about 5 mph over the speed limit when the deer entered the road.

Zeek was negligent when he drove too fast for conditions, failed to slow to avoid the deer and drove faster than the posted speed limit, the suit claims.