Suit: Driver did not yield to elderly woman in fatal River Grove crash

SHARE Suit: Driver did not yield to elderly woman in fatal River Grove crash

The son of an 89-year-old woman killed in a west suburban crash in January filed a lawsuit Thursday.

Joseph J. Dwyer is representing the estate of his mother, Marie P. Dwyer, in the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

The accident happened Jan. 14 near First Avenue and Striebe Drive, authorities said.

Dwyer was driving south on First Avenue when another vehicle tried to turn left from Striebe onto First, police said. The two vehicles collided.

Dwyer, of the 400 block of Ashland Avenue in River Forest, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she died four days later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The driver of the other vehicle was initially put in intensive care after the crash. River Grove police could not be reached Thursday evening to provide an update on his condition or say whether charges were filed.

Joseph Dwyer’s suit claims the driver failed to give a right-of-way to Dwyer or reduce his vehicle’s speed before attempting to turn. The driver could not be reached Thursday night.

River Grove Police Chief Rodger Loni previously said the 40 mph traffic on First Avenue does not have to stop, and the volume of traffic makes it difficult to turn from First onto Striebe.

At the time, Loni said 20 accidents happened at the intersection in 2013 and 2014. Dwyer’s crash was the first to result in a fatality, he said.

Illinois Department of Transportation data shows only three crashes at the intersection since 2009, spokeswoman Carson Quinn previously said. However, that number does not include non-injury crashes or crashes that caused less than $1,500 in damage.

The suit said Dwyer left behind three sons — including him — and two daughters.

The wrongful death complaint is asking for an unspecified amount in damages.

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