Driver in crash that killed 17-year-old Lake in the Hills teenager being sued by family

The family of a 17-year-old killed in a rollover crash in early August in Lake in the Hills filed a wrongful-death suit against the driver of the vehicle, seeking $50,000 or more in damages.

Riely Teuerle was the passenger of a vehicle involved in a three-way crash the night of Aug. 2. The Volkswagen he was in rolled over, and Teuerle, who was 17 and weeks away from starting his senior year of high school, was killed.

Teuerle's family last month sued the driver of that vehicle, Bryan Davis, alleging negligence, court records from the McHenry County circuit clerk show.

In the complaint filed Sept. 8, Teuerle's family states Davis was trying to change lanes on Rakow Road between McHenry Avenue and Pyott Road in Lake in the Hills when he slammed his brakes and lost control of the vehicle, causing his and Teuerle's vehicles to collide and strike another vehicle.

Teuerle was taken to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, where he died, the McHenry County coroner's office said. Davis and the driver of one of the other vehicles also were taken to the hospital as a result of the crash, police said at the time.

Davis, who turned 18 earlier this year, has not been charged with anything related to the crash. In August 2021, he received a traffic ticket for speeding between 26 and 34 miles over the speed limit, court records show.

Teuerle's family is seeking compensation for "pecuniary loss, damages and loss of love, comfort, felicity, care, attention, guidance, affection, companionship, valuable services and society and have suffered from grief, sorrow and mental suffering." The Teuerle family is also seeking compensation for medical bills and other services.

The next court date for the lawsuit is scheduled for Dec. 8.

"The family wants justice, and they want the proper punishment," said the family's attorney Steve Greeley. "We're going to proceed in that fashion."

Davis will be represented by Phil Buntin from Chicago-based Morse Bolduc Narulli and Buntin. Buntin could not be reached immediately on Wednesday.

At a vigil for Teuerle about a week after his death, more than 100 community members gathered to honor his memory.

• Northwest Herald reporter Aaron Dorman contributed to this story.