A suburban family is in mourning after a 24-year-old man was hit and killed on Interstate 88 while trying to help another motorist late Monday night.
Dion Skinner Jr. of Wheaton was struck and killed while trying to help a man whose Jeep had stalled on the westbound side of the roadway just before 11 p.m. Monday.
“He’s always been that kind of person, ever since he was a kid,” Dion Skinner Sr., the victim’s father, said. “I think with that compassion for people he wanted to help. He saw a man in distress and wanted to be of service to him.”
According to authorities, Skinner was standing on the shoulder of the road as he helped another motorist whose car had stalled. Another vehicle then pulled in behind Skinner’s car to avoid a collision, but a Honda sedan, driven by an 18-year-old man, struck Skinner and 29-year-old Darius Lemon.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Skinner was then hit by another vehicle, and was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Lemon was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Now, his father is left to pick up the pieces, while finding some comfort in the fact that his son died as a Good Samaritan.
“Although he passed away Monday night, for some reason I just still look for his call, or for him to walk through the door like this was just a bad dream,” he said. “If anyone takes anything away from this, take this for sure: drive defensively and drive carefully and consider other people when you’re driving.”
Local
An investigation is still ongoing, and charges not been filed in the case at this time, according to Illinois State Police.
