Assisted living resident struck, killed by SUV while crossing street in Melrose Park

A man was fatally struck by a vehicle Thursday night while venturing out from his assisted living home in west suburban Melrose Park.

The 69-year-old was crossing the street about 10:30 p.m. in the 8300 block of North Avenue when he was struck by an SUV, according to Melrose Park city spokesman Gary Mack. He was not in a crosswalk, and was using a walker.

The man, Michael Rishikovsky, was pronounced dead at 11:34 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived within the block of where he was struck. An autopsy released Friday found he died of injuries from the crash.

Rishikovsky was a resident of an assisted living center and had signed out to go walking shortly before he was hit, Mack said. He had free reign to do so, and did not have dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The driver of the SUV, who was older than Rishikovsky, stopped at the scene and told officers he felt “horrible” about the crash, Mack said. Officers did not arrest him, and decided not to issue a ticket.