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Lawsuit filed in 2012 DUI crash that killed Elgin teen, injured another

A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed against an 18-year-old from Elgin who is accused of being high on marijuana and causing a crash in Burlington Township that killed his passenger.

The Sept. 2, 2012, crash killed Lawrence Echols, 17, of Elgin, who was a back seat passenger in a 2007 Lincoln MKZ being driven by Shannon Hill.

Hill and another passenger fled the scene after the crash at 12:45 a.m. on Plank Road, west of Engel Road, in Burlington Township, and it sparked a search involving K-9 units from three departments and a helicopter, according to police and court records.

Hill and Jamiatt Harrison walked several miles to Sherman Hospital in Elgin; Echols was dead at the scene and another passenger, Shadontre Smith, 20, of South Elgin, was severely injured.

Hill, of the 0-99 block of Poplar Creek Drive, was charged in the spring with leaving the scene of a fatal accident, driving while under the influence of drugs, aggravated DUI, reckless homicide, speeding more than 40 mph over the limit and improper lane use.

Hill was in court this week and pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he faces up to 29 years in prison. He was being held at the Kane County jail on $400,000 bail. His next court date is Oct. 25.

Lorinda Carter, who is the administrator of her son’s estate, filed the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages for his death.

The lawsuit argues Hill was negligent and that his guardian, Mattie Grant, formerly of Elgin and now of Carpentersville, knew or should have known about Hill’s drug and alcohol abuse and reckless driving record, and should not have let him drive her vehicle.

“Prior to operating the vehicle on Sept. 2, 2012, Hill had consumed alcoholic beverages and/or cannabis and was under the influence of either or both at the time he was driving,” wrote attorney Lance Northcutt, who is Carter’s attorney.

According to Northcutt, witnesses told police Hill was drinking prior to the crash.

The lawsuit also argues Hill was driving 100 mph in a 50 mph zone. Hill was “swerving in and out of traffic,” lost control and the vehicle rolled several times before striking a tree and landing on its left side, the suit states.

The suit also names 2 J’s Wine and Spirits of Elgin as defendants, arguing Hill either bought alcohol from there or got alcohol from someone who bought it from the store. A phone number for the store was disconnected.

Hill is not accused of being drunk nor impaired from alcohol at the time of the crash, according to court records.

Efforts to reach Richard Irvin, an attorney for Hill, were unsuccessful.

The case is due in court Dec. 5.

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