GWC Injury Lawyers LLC is honored to represent the family of the 2-year-old boy who was tragically killed when a vehicle crashed into the Portillo’s restaurant on Route 34 in Oswego, Illinois on July 30, 2025. The incident left 13 others injured and devastated a tight-knit community. GWC represents 10 of the patrons suffering physical and emotional damages caused as a result of this crash.
“This kind family has suffered an unimaginable, senseless loss,” said Louis C. Cairo, Managing Partner at GWC Injury Lawyers. “In addition to securing maximum compensation for this family, we also will fight to ensure that no other family has to endure the tragic loss and suffering that this family is currently going through right now and will go through forever…”
While authorities have described the incident as a “tragic accident,” GWC’s early investigation reveals that the crash was entirely foreseeable and preventable. The front entrance of the Portillo’s restaurant and parking lot are designed in such a manner that this type of tragic event seems almost inevitable. The restaurant created a nose-in parking space directly in front of the glass revolving entrance doorway with no concrete parking bumpers or protective safety bollards between the parking lot and the glass entrance 15′ away. These defective conditions, coupled with tables situated right in front of the revolving door, created a highly dangerous condition that exposed diners and pedestrians to the risk of exactly this kind of vehicle intrusion.
What is shocking is that Portillo’s has concrete parking bumpers along the side of its building where there are no glass door entryways, and it has 2 safety bollards preventing damage to its parking lot light pole. So, the company chose to protect the side of its building and a light pole, yet it continues to ignore the health and well-being of patrons dining in their restaurant through its decisions to carelessly design its parking lot and entranceway.
The Village of Oswego has publicly acknowledged its intent to review safety protocols to prevent this type of incident in the future, with Village President Ryan Kauffman stating that “nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting lives.” GWC supports that mission and calls on both public officials and private property owners to implement the necessary safety measures, including bollards, parking bumpers, protective barriers and restricting nose-in parking spots in front of glass entries and perimeter walls to prevent future loss of life.
“Our clients want justice, not just in the courtroom, but in policy and practice,” said Cairo. “This didn’t have to happen. And with real accountability, this will not happen again; and this beautiful little child will not have died completely in vain.”
Anyone that has information or photographs concerning this tragic occurrence, or knowledge of other similar occurrences at Oswego establishments, please contact GWC.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact Louis C. Cairo (lcairo@gwclaw.com 312-622-3261) or Allison L. Dolan (adolan@gwclaw.com 574-850-2104 adolan@gwclaw.com 574-850-2104).