Family of Kaneland student killed in crash sues family of classmate behind wheel
A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed in response to a crash that killed Kaneland High School juniors Arthur Stenger and Elijah Vajgert in November.
Elijah's father, Bruce Vajgert, filed the lawsuit in Kane County this week, seeking unspecified damages from the estate of Arthur Stenger, who was the driver of a pickup truck that was hit by a semitrailer, killing him and Elijah, of Maple Park.
According to the lawsuit, Arthur pulled forward into the intersection of Beith and Meredith roads in Virgil Township at about 5:04 p.m. Nov. 5 in his 2002 Chevy S-10 pickup when it was struck by the semi headed south on Meredith.
"The force and power of the collision caused the pickup truck to be propelled off the roadway and to be engulfed in fire and flames," the lawsuit reads in part. "The next of kin of Elijah Vajgert sustained pecuniary injuries as a direct and proximate result of his death, including loss of society, grief, sorrow and mental suffering."
The lawsuit argues Arthur, of Montgomery, failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to yield to traffic.
Stenger and Vajgert, both 16, were best friends who met in seventh grade.
The driver of the truck was not ticketed in the crash.
A message left for Patrick Flaherty, an attorney representing Bruce Vajgert, was not immediately returned Friday.
It was not immediately known whether the Stenger family had retained counsel.
The two sides are due in court May 23.