Settlement reached in 2012 fatal Elgin crash
A settlement of $20,000 has been approved for a September 2012 crash near Elgin that killed one, severely injured another and prompted an overnight search with helicopters for survivors.
The insurance company for Shannon Hill, 20, of Elgin, will pay $20,000 each to the family of Lawrence Echols, 17, of Elgin, who was killed, and to Shadontre Smith, another teen who was injured, according to Kane County court records.
"It's incredibly frustrating," said Lance Northcutt, attorney for Echols' mother. "It's absurd in Illinois that you can kill someone, and the full extent of insurance coverage that applies to a human being is $20,000."
Hill is serving an 11-year prison term for failure to report a fatal accident and reckless homicide. Prosecutors say Hill was high on marijuana, drinking and going more than 100 mph when he lost control of the 2007 Lincoln MK while going west on Plank Road in Burlington Township, killing Echols and injuring Smith, who was 19 at the time.
Hill has no monetary assets, and $20,000 coverage was the minimum required under Illinois law at the time.
Northcutt said it was pointless to continue the case against Hill because he had no assets and wouldn't be able to pay after prison anyway.
Northcutt's law firm took a third of the $20,000 settlement, as did the firm representing Smith.
Northcutt also sued 2J's Wine and Spirits of Elgin, arguing Hill illegally purchased alcohol there. However, the parent corporation for 2J's was dissolved before the lawsuit was filed because of a fire, and the corporation doesn't have any assets either, Northcutt said.
After the Sept. 2 crash, Hill walked away from the scene, prompting a search for survivors involving helicopters and canines before he showed up at a hospital emergency room the next day, authorities said.