Personal Injury Law

Chicago Sheriff?s Officer Cited with Reckless Driving for Hitting IDOT Worker

By Kris Briggs

Cook County Prosecutors added another charge against a Cook County sheriff?s officer who drove into a highway worker on an Eisenhower ramp back in September.

Offier Tony Lampkin, in uniform but off-duty at the time of the accident, allegedly hit Michael Ochoa, of Chicago, on an outbound Eisenhower ramp on September 2, 2009 after going around a car stopped at a traffic signal. Ochoa, who received minor injuries, was on the ramp to check the traffic signal. Lampkin also allegedly ran over the signal.

Officer Lampkin was not charged initially with any citations until Ochoa complained to the Illinois State Police, inquiring if Lampkin had not been charged because he was in uniform. Illinois State Police then issued citations on September 24, 2009 against Lampkin for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to yield to a worker in a construction zone. However, Illinois State Police denied any favoritism was at play and stated that charges were not issued right away because there was an issue over whether the area was a construction zone or not. And then today the charge of reckless driving was added to the charges.

Lampkin has stated that the car at the light had proceeded forward on green, then stopped unexpectedly, causing him to swerve. Frank Howard, an attorney for Lampkin, declined to comment on the new charge added, but told a reporter, ?Be nice. It?s the holidays.?

Ochoa, who was not seriously injured, said he was glad the reckless driving charge was added. A bench trial was set for March 10 in Skokie, Illinois.

Car Accidents in Chicago

Unfortunately, car accidents occur regularly in Chicago and across the country. Sometimes it is because of negligence on the part of another person. It is our mission to assist those who may have been injured or harmed due to the negligence of another driver. Whether your injuries consist of whiplash or burns to your head or neck, nerve damage or spinal chord injures, broken or dislocated a bones or limbs, or loss of life, our attorneys are specifically trained to assist you in your time of need.

Sheriff's officer cited with reckless driving for hitting IDOT worker, Suntimes.com,
December 21, 2009

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on December 21, 2009 (boomark / email).