Lawsuit filed in fatal Elgin drag race

The family of an Elgin man killed in a drag race four years ago has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the driver who survived.

Iraida Andrade, 21, is being sued for more than $50,000 by the estate of 20-year-old Lamkhan Phommaleuth, who died in the high-speed crash April 23, 2006, in Elgin.

Andrade pleaded guilty in 2007 to misdemeanor reckless driving in exchange for 24 months of probation, driver's education schooling and 100 hours of community service, according to court records. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The crash that killed two happened around 4:20 a.m. as Andrade and 20-year-old Anousack Simanivanh, also of Elgin, raced their Mitsubishi Galants south on Route 31 at speeds up to 90 mph, police have said.

Just south of Big Timber Road, police said, Simanivanh's vehicle hit a drainage grate, went off the road and struck several trees, killing both Simanivanh and Phommaleuth, who was riding in the front seat. A back seat passenger, who was a juvenile at the time, also was seriously injured. "(Phommaleuth) sustained severe injuries, both externally and internally, which caused him extreme pain in the final minutes of his life," the lawsuit says.

Andrade, of Elgin, initially was charged with felony aggravated reckless driving and misdemeanor drag racing. But those charges were dropped as a result of his plea deal.

The lawsuit, filed May 27 in Kane County, goes before Judge Robert Spence on Aug. 19.