March 24th, 2010 | 
Author: CHICAGO, IL – A boy was killed and his father suffered serious injuries in a truck accident Friday in Chicago, Illinois. The father and son were walking home from school when they were hit by the cab of a semi tractor truck in the Pilsen neighborhood in the Near West side of Chicago. The accident area is in the far north east section of the state, 198 miles northeast of Springfield, IL and 91 miles south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
As the father and son crossed busy South Ashland Ave. at West 18th Place, about a block from the school, they were hit by the cab of a 18 wheeler truck which was driving south on Ashland.
Shortly after 3:00 p.m. Friday afternoon 45 year old Antonio Vazquez and his six year old son, both from Chicago, were returning home from Cooper Elementary School. They were walking east down South Ashland Avenue, which has a high level of commercial traffic.
As the father and son crossed busy South Ashland Ave. at West 18th Place, about a block from the school, they were hit by the cab of a 18 wheeler truck which was driving south on Ashland. The semi trailer truck was driven by 67 year old Jack Hunt of Fortville, Indiana. The tractor trailer truck had the logo of Wall Street Systems, an intermodal trucking services firm based in Mantua, Ohio.
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Chicago Fire and emergency personnel responded to the tragic truck accident scene on South Ashland Ave. One witness described the father caught under the truck “Screaming in pain”, and the six year old boy motionless in the street with a serious head wound. The young boy was dressed in the light blue shirt of the Cooper Elementary School.
Chicago EMTs transported the father and son to Stroger Hospital, about 2 miles away. The little boy had suffered fatal injuries in the truck accident and was pronounced dead by a coroner with the Cook County Medical Examiners Office shortly after arrival at the hospital. Mr. Vazquez sustained serious injuries and was listed in critical condition Friday night. Mr. Hunt, the driver of the semi trailer truck, was not injured in the truck accident.
STREET VIEW
Another witness to the truck accident, 65 year old Mike Gallagher, said that there was no crossing guard at the intersection to help students get across the street safely. There are also no stoplights or stop signs at the intersection.
Mr. Gallagher, a former Chicago police officer, went on to say that the area of the truck accident can get chaotic in the afternoon around 3:00 p.m. after the Cooper Elementary School dismisses the students for the day. He says that children are running around the streets and sidewalks, while traffic is moving at 40 to 50 MPH.
Chicago police gave the truck driver, Mr. Hunt, a ticket for “Striking a Pedestrian in a Roadway”.
The Chicago Police Departments Major Accident Investigation Unit is continuing to investigate the fatal truck accident.
For more information about Illinois trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact our nationwide truck accident attorneys for expert advice. For a free initial consultation, talk to a Chicago truck accident lawyer at 800.773.6770.
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