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West Loop bicycle crash

Driver Charged in West Loop Bicycle Crash

Police have arrested and charged a driver who attempted to flee the scene after critically injuring a man in a West Loop bicycle crash.

Bicycle Dragged For Blocks

The West Loop bicycle crash took place at approximately 10:10 p.m. on April 16, 2022. At that time, 30-year-old Courtney Bertucci of Joliet was driving a Volkswagen Jetta sedan eastbound on the 900 block of West Madison Street in Chicago, IL. She then allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a metal construction cover in the roadway and struck an unidentified 43-year-old man who was riding his bicycle in the opposite direction.

The impact of the collision threw the bicyclist to the ground, inflicting massive head and facial trauma. The man was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

According to the Chicago Police Department, Bertucci attempted to drive away from the scene of the West Loop bicycle crash. She reportedly drove several blocks with the victim’s bicycle lodged under her sedan before witnesses stopped and detained her until police arrived.

Bertucci was then taken into custody and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without insurance, and failing to show care to a pedestrian in the roadway. Her bond was set at $10,000.00.

Police did not say if they were investigating whether Bertucci was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the West Loop bicycle crash. It was also not immediately known if the cyclist had retained any car accident attorneys to represent him in this matter.

West Loop Bicycle Crash Not an Isolated Occurrence

Unfortunately, the West Loop bicycle crash is far from an isolated occurrence. A total of ten Chicago bicyclists were killed in accidents in 2021, while nine died the previous year. In the months leading up to the most recent incident, the riders who suffered lethal injuries in the city included:

  • 32-year-old Adé Hogue, who died two days after a van hit him on Grand Avenue near lower DuSable Lake Shore Drive on October 29, 2021;
  • 16-year-old Jose Velásquez, who was killed by a truck driver in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on December 10, 2021; and
  • 41-year-old Gerardo Marciales, who was fatally struck while riding his bike in a crosswalk on DuSable Lake Shore Drive by the Lakefront Trail on February 28, 2022.

Statistics show that bicycle accidents happen most frequently in urban centers like Chicago, and the injuries can be much worse. In fact, approximately 70 percent of all fatal cycling collisions in the United States happen in major cities, which tend to have more heavily-traveled roads and less flexibility to install safety features than suburban and rural areas.

Have You Been Struck While Riding a Bicycle?

If you have been struck by a motor vehicle while riding a bicycle, you might be eligible to obtain compensation from the at-fault driver. To help maximize how much you recover financially, consider doing what so many others have done before you and reach out to the bicycle accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.

With more than $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the leading Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. Our dedicated car accident attorneys have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the reputation you need to get you and your loved ones the justice you deserve.

For a free, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable car accident attorney, contact GWC today. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.

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