Dump truck crash victim identified as 94-year-old Prospect Heights woman

The pedestrian struck and killed by a dump truck in Des Plaines Thursday has been identified as a 94-year-old Prospect Heights woman, authorities said Friday.

Lilah M. De Paul was struck about 2 p.m. near 767 W. Golf Road, in the Market Place Shopping Center, police said.

The truck was traveling west through the strip mall parking lot. The driver, a 29-year-old Woodstock man, was released with no charges.

Des Plaines police Cmdr. Randy Akin said investigators determined the crash to be accidental. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

Akin said the driver was "emotionally upset under the circumstances." He was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights for a quick evaluation under recommendation of paramedics.

Jadranka Memic, who works at China Wok II in the strip mall, said Friday she had seen the victim walking back and forth in front of the businesses and in the parking lot for about a half-hour before the crash. Memic and other employees went outside after hearing the commotion.

The driver stopped after the crash and "jumped out right away," Memic said.

"The driver was saying, 'Oh my God, I didn't see her.' He was really stressed," Memic said.

Police investigators who later arrived on the scene put up blue tarps under the truck and blocked off the area with police tape. They left about 8 p.m. after completing their crash scene investigation, Memic said.