Two passengers injured in a fatal limousine accident on Interstate 90 last month have filed a lawsuit against the limo company.
Chicago Attorney Tim Cavanagh announced the suit against Lyons Limousine in Wisconsin Wednesday, filed on behalf of two passengers, Michael Johnson and Robert Rosa, who were injured when their limousine hit a concrete barrier and overturned on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway near Hoffman Estates.
A 53-year-old Wisconsin woman, identified as Terri Schmidt, was killed and six others were injured in the crash.
Police said the driver of the 1998 Lincoln Town Car limousine was in the far left lane of the expressway when he was blinded by the sun.
“The driver was unable to see the traffic lane pattern and struck the end of the jay wall, which caused the limousine to roll over,” a statement from police said.
The group had rented the limousine to take them to O'Hare Airport where they had planned to fly to Mexico.
"[The passengers] want to understand why this happened in this dangerous construction zone," Cavanagh said. "Clearly this driver shouldn't have been driving."
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The 20-year-old driver and five passengers injured in the crash are all Wisconsin residents, according to police.
Keven Schmidt, 59, of Monona; Lois Corning, 61, of Verona; Donald Corning, 64, of Verona; Robert Rosa, 53, of Fitchburg; and Michael Johnson, 45, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, were among those injured.
Rose suffered a serious spine injury and remained in the hospital Wednesday, Cavanagh said.
"The weekend was very touch and go for him," he said. "They're trying to get him ready for these major surgeries. They are going to be with him for the rest of his life."
As of last week, no citations or charges had been filed against the limo driver. An investigation into the crash is expected to last several more days, possibly even weeks, police said.
"This driver had five convictions on his driving record," Cavanagh said. "That and that alone would have disqualified this driver from driving the limousine."
