Lawsuit filed against Aurora man in hit-and-run that killed boy
The driver accused of a March hit-and-run in Aurora that killed an 8-year-old boy is being sued for damages.
Angelo Lopez, father of Izaiah Lopez, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Kane County this week against Christopher A. Carrillo, arguing the 29-year-old Aurora man was negligent in the March 25, 2019 hit-and-run.
The crash, about 7:42 p.m. on Lake Street (Route 31) near Plum Street on the city's west side, killed Izaiah and injured his grandfather, Juan Ornelas, who was crossing the street with Isaiah and Isaiah's older sister after having dinner and playing at a nearby park.
The suit argues Carrillo, who police said drove off, abandoned his 2007 Ford Fusion and was arrested a week later, was traveling too fast, didn't keep a proper look out, and failed to yield the right of way.
The lawsuit also names Ornelas, who is Izaiah's maternal grandfather, as a defendant. Angelo Lopez argues he was unaware of Ornelas' custom of taking Izaiah and his sister through nearby McCullough Park and crossing Lake Street near Plum, but "outside of a designated cross walk for pedestrians," according to the lawsuit.
Finally, the lawsuit argues the city of Aurora failed to maintain the crosswalk, and the stripes in that area "had completely worn off the roadway," prompting pedestrians like Ornelas to cross Lake Street in dangerous spots.
According to a search warrant for Carrillo's vehicle, his passenger on March 25 told police Carrillo was trying to race another car while headed south on Lake Street. The lawsuit doesn't argue that Carrillo was racing.
Kelly Bennett, the attorney representing Angelo Lopez, declined to comment on the case.
The lawsuit, which is next due in court Dec. 3, seeks unspecified damages from all three defendants.
Since his arrest a week after the crash, Carrillo has been held at the Kane County jail on $75,000 bail, meaning he must post $7,500 to be released while the case is pending
Carrillo, who has pleaded not guilty, is next due in court Oct. 3 and if convicted, faces a sentence ranging from probation to up to 15 years in prison.