Suit: Carpentersville cop’s laptop to blame for crash that injured sisters
Two sisters from Gilberts have sued a Carpentersville police officer, the police department and village, seeking damages from a May crash in which the officer claimed his front-seat laptop computer screen partially blocked his view.
“That’s what he said in the police report,” said David Petrich, attorney for Alli Giblin, 20, and Crystal Giblin, 30.
The Giblins filed a lawsuit in Kane County, seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.
In the lawsuit, they argue Officer David Rowley was negligent, speeding, didn’t brake and should be held liable for injuries caused to the sisters when they were struck by his patrol vehicle the morning of May 30 on the 200 block of North 8th Street in West Dundee.
Petrich said the Giblins were leaving a restaurant after having breakfast at the time of the crash. Rowley, according to the plaintiffs, was not responding to an emergency and did not have his lights and sirens activated.
Rowley was not issued a traffic ticket, Petrich said.
“They’re still under medical care. They were both struck and fell to the ground,” Petrich said of his clients. “There is no indication in the police report he was responding to an emergency call. Fellow officers don’t write tickets to fellow officers.”
A message left with Hart Passman, Carpentersville village attorney, was not returned.
The two sides are due in court Feb. 13.
Ask an attorney: The Kane County Bar Association will hold its final “Ask A Lawyer Day” of the year from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The program was established during the association’s 150th anniversary celebration a few years ago and is supported by the Illinois State Bar Association. People can call (630) 762-1900 for a free consultation with a volunteer attorney. Last month, callers were helped with problems in a variety of areas, ranging from real estate and wills, to divorce and bankruptcy. There is a very high call volume, so keep trying if the phone lines are busy because volunteers can’t retrieve voice-mail messages.
Liquor, tobacco checks: The Aurora Police Department’s Special Operations Group held a citywide compliance check Nov. 22 for alcohol and tobacco sales.
Eight businesses were checked for alcohol compliance and clerks at three businesses failed to ask a minor for identification. The three businesses were Jay’s Liquors, 3450 Montgomery Road; Liquor Lane, 2178 Ogden Ave.; and Fox Food and Liquor, 1669 Montgomery Road.
Six businesses were checked for tobacco compliance and only one clerk, at Citgo Gas, 503 Hill Ave., failed to ask for identification.
Each clerk received a notice to appear in court.
hhitzeman@dailyherald.com