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Earlier this week Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill allowing the City of Chicago to use cameras to catch speeding drivers near schools. The bill known as S.B. 965 will go into effect on July 1 and allows speed enforcement cameras within 1/8 of a mile, or one city block, around schools and parks between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. each weekday. The speed enforcement cameras are to be used within 1/8 of a mile around parks from one hour before the parks open to one hour after they close, which means cameras will be shut off only between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. It also allows using existing red light cameras and mobile cameras to catch speeders within 1/8 of a mile of schools and parks in Chicago.

The Expired Meter website issued a Freedom of Information request on all calls, emails and letters from the public to the governor’s office to learn about the response to the legislation. So far it has been negative; of the 224 calls, letters, and emails about the speed camera bill, an overwhelming 91 percent were opposed to it. Governor Quinn’s response was, “You may get letters, perhaps emails. You know, you study each communication, but… I’m not sure that’s a scientific sampling of all the people of Illinois, I think there are some people who are for the bill and some aren’t for it and, you know, that happens in a lot of situations.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel released a statement on Monday morning thanking Quinn.

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As reported in CBS’ Historic Auburn-Gresham Building Torn Down After Partial Collapse, shortly after noon on Tuesday, January 31st, four people were injured when a three story historic building partially collapsed. The building, located on the northeast corner of 79th and Halsted, has been vacant for 20 years and was originally constructed in the 1880’s. It is owned by the city of Chicago. The debris falling from the building injured people on the street and caught two others under scaffolding.

Firefighters worked to remove the victims and searched under the rubble for an alleged fifth victim. According to the Chicago Fire Department it appears the top of the building’s brick façade collapsed along the roofline causing it to fall below. The scaffolding surrounding the building buckled as the roofline collapsed, trapping several pedestrians. Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Robert Hoff included that a tree had grown through the building’s roof and believes years of neglect, along with recent weather conditions, and the age of the building led to the building’s collapse.

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In relation to our last post about fire ordinances, there was a fire early Tuesday morning at an 3-story complex on 130th street, near the far south side of Chicago. Sergeant Mike Saladino, a veteran of 11 years, was on a routine patrol early Tuesday morning around 3:15 a.m. when he heard there was a fire about two blocks from his location. He responded immediately and arrived in a matter of minutes. A tow truck driver, who was originally there to repossess a car, was already on the scene and had just smashed open the jammed door of the first floor apartment. The tow truck driver had a fire extinguisher in hand and was attempting to put out the blaze. Two small children were reportedly trapped in the burning building. The American Burn Association state that there are approximately 1.1 million burn injuries in the United States each year severe enough that they warrant medical attention. Experienced accident and injury attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. understand the immediacy and sensitivity required in handling cases that involve burn injuries.

Unfortunately Officer Saladino and the tow truck driver were unable to rescue the two small children. The flames were too extreme, and the smoke too blinding. According to the Chicago Tribune, Officer Saladino was very distraught that he could not save the children. He said he could not stop thinking about his twin daughters at home, who were around the same age as the victims. He kept thinking what if it had been them in the fire. That’s what drove him to run into the burning building. The Tribune reports that Saladino was very emotional and could not bear to look at the two small bodies of the victims brought out once the fire was put out.

The fire was started by a 6-year old boy attempting reheat some pizza on the stove top in the kitchen. His pregnant mother was asleep in another room. She was a single mother doing the best she could with 3 kids and one on the way. She and the 6 year old boy managed to escape the fire, but it claimed the lives of her other two children Destiny Myles (3) and Jeremiah (1). She attempted to run back in and save the kids twice but passed out due to heavy smoke. The pregnant mother is currently in critical condition in the hospital. There is no word yet if the complex was completely up to fire code. If the building is older than 1975, it is not required to have a sprinkler system. The officer and tow truck drivers are definitely very brave men to have run into a burning building. Sadly fire fighters did not arrive on the scene in time. If you or someone you love have been involved in a fire, please contact accident injury attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. who can help assess the specifics of your situation discuss appropriate choices with you.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roK2XIZKn8Q

By now, many of you Chicagoans have heard about the 7 teenagers that beat up and robbed an Asian high school senior this past Sunday. This is mainly because one of the teens recorded the beating with their cell phone and the video has gone viral via Youtube. The teens involved in the beating were all under the age of 18. There was one 17 year old boy, two 16 year old boys, three 15 year old boys, and a 15 year old girl. The girl allegedly lured the victim into the alley on the 2700 block of South Shields, where the boys waited to beat him. All the teens, except 17 year old Raymond Palomino, are being charged with juvenile delinquencies. While accident injury attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer do not typically handle these types of cases, they do handle personal injury cases caused by assault. Typically, insurance companies will not cover these types of acts unless the act is forseeable

Raymond is the only one of the teens being charged as an adult. His dad actually turned him in after seeing the video of the beating on the news. This viral video ended up backfiring on these teens, since many of their peers identified them via the comments on the Youtube page. Raymond is being charged as an adult with robbery and aggravated battery. His bail is set at 100,000 dollars. It seems as though Raymond is being made out as the ring leader of the group. This could be because in the video, he shouts “get him,” when the victim becomes visible. Raymond is also seen in the video removing a gym shoe from the victim’s backpack and striking him in the face repeatedly with it. He then took the victim’s wallet, removed the cash, and then dropped it into the sewer.

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The Sun-Times Media has reported that Cecil Conner (24) was sentenced today in Will County Court to 9 ½ years in prison for a fatal DUI crash that claimed the life of his girlfriend’s 5 year old son last May of 2010. Conner was facing from three to 14 years in prison after being convicted of two counts of aggravated DUI. Chicago accident and injury attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. have handled cases involving auto accidents, with excellent results for their clients. They can help give you peace of mind by dealing with the insurance companies and medical care providers first hand.

Apparently Conner’s girlfriend Kathie LaFond was originally driving Conner and the child Michael Langford Jr. (5) home because Conner was too intoxicated. They were driving home from Conner’s cousin’s party in Chicago Heights. In a surprising turn of events, they were pulled over in Chicago Heights and Kathie was arrested for driving without a valid license. The officer then told Conner to drive himself and the child home. The officer was completely unaware that Conner was too drunk to drive. Conner proceeded to drive home and crashed his red Chevrolet Cavalier into a tree, through a fence, and into another tree. Little Michael Langford was reportedly sleeping in the back seat of the car at the time of the accident.

The trial had been delayed because Conner’s attorney had requested a new trial. He wanted a new trial because he was not given recordings of telephone conversations between Conner’s and Kathie while she was in jail. He also felt the trial was flawed because he was restricted from calling two witnesses, Kathie LaFond, and Jennifer Tartt (Conner’s friend), who he felt could have testified on behalf of Conner’s character. The judge rejected the request for a new trial, stating that he did not think the recordings would have provided any new information. Conner’s defense attorney even asked for the recordings after the trial was over, but his request was denied by the Illinois Supreme Court.

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As you walk through the streets of Chicago, everywhere you look fellow pedestrians all have on ear buds or head phones. This is especially true with joggers. These people may want to turn their music down next time they go for a jog or walk because according to University of Maryland researchers, use of iPods and other MP3 players make people much less aware of their environment, including oncoming traffic. This is particularly startling because almost everyone has a smart phone these days which have MP3 player capabilities. It’s as if people are deafly walking through the streets, unaware of all the impending dangers the city has to offer. The Chicago accident and injury firm Zneimer and Zneimer p.c. handle cases related to pedestrian injuries, whether caused by car, truck, or slip and fall. Please contact their office with any questions.

The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Richard Lichenstein found that people wearing headphones are at a higher risk of getting hit, injured, or even dying due to an accident. He claims that of these injuries, 70 percent proved to be fatal, and more than 50 percent of the victims were hit by trains. While these numbers seem a bit high, they are very believable. Chicago drivers can be a bit reckless and are always in a hurry. This is especially true with cab drivers. As I commute to work daily, I almost always usually see an accident almost happen, such as a biker getting hit by a car because neither was paying attention. The researchers report that between 2004 and 2005, there were 16 cases noted. However, that number rose to 47 between 2010 and 2011, nearly tripling. They found that the most common type of accident, at 55%, was being hit by a train. I would have guessed that the most common type would be being hit by a car. This is very shocking. The study also found that 75% of bystanders had actually seen the victim wearing headphones prior to the accident. Clearly these headphones are masking any sirens and outside noises.

A similar study was done in New Zealand in 1995 with 200 children. The study found that children with natural hearing problems were more likely to be hit by a car. It’s no surprise that Dr. Lichensteins study found similar results considering people are basically obstructing their own hearing with music. These people need to become more aware of their surroundings considering the city is full of many hidden dangers. Not only are they more likely to get hit by a car or train, but they may be easier pray for muggers or robbers. Bottom line, if you are venturing out into the world with your headphones on, please be aware of your surroundings. If you have been involved in a accident/injury, please contact injury attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer p.c. for a free personal injury consultation.

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This past Friday, January 13, expert toxicologist Jennifer Bash told jurors she feels Chicago Police Officer Richard Bolling was legally drunk at the time of his May 2009 crash, per The Chicago Red Eye. Richard is currently on trial for aggravated DUI, reckless homicide, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Officer Richard allegedly hit and killed a 13 year old boy on a bike, with his Dodge Charger. Richard was off duty at the time of the hit and run, and was pulled over shortly after for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Prosecutors alleged that Richard’s car had blood on it, a cracked windshield, and an open bottle of beer in the front console. Chicago accident attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer p.c. are experts in auto accident cases. Many of which are hit and run cases and DUI cases.

Jennifer’s findings are pivotal considering that even though Richard had an open beer in his car, and smelled of alcohol, he says he wasn’t intoxicated. Richard claims to have only had a couple drinks the night of the crash. He said he was speeding home munching on fast food when he saw the bicyclist coming toward him. After hitting the bicyclist, he said was in a state of shock and that’s what prevented him from calling 911. The night of the crash, Richard said he had 3 beers and two shots of vodka. However, now Richard is testifying that he had only one vodka drink and one beer drink. I would like to know why an off duty officer was speeding to begin with, regardless of being drunk or not?

What complicated the matter was that Richard wasn’t given a field sobriety test until 2 hours after the crash. Furthermore, he wasn’t given an actual breathalyzer test until 4 hours after the crash. That is why a forensic toxicologist was called to begin with. She estimated that Richard’s alcohol had to be as much as twice the legal limit at the time of the accident. Prosecutors claim that Richard was given preferential treatment from the other officers. It certainly does appear that way. Things do not look good for Richard Bolling. I think the average person can see that Richard was drunk at the time of the crash. Hopefully the jury makes the right decision, so justice can be served for little Trenton Booker. According to Chicago accident attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer, it is estimated that there are over 1,200 vehicle related fatalities a year in Illinois. If you have been in or affected by an auto accident, please contact accident attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer p.c. for a free personal injury consultation.

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Yet again, pit bull attacks are in the news in Chicago. Thankfully this time, the attacks were not on a human. According to the Chicago Tribune, last Friday, January 6, Chicago Police Officer Kevin Keel took his police dog, Vvorra, out for training near South Loop. As they walked by a make shift shelter around 4 in the afternoon, two unleashed pit bulls darted out and attacked the 3 year old Belgian Malinois police dog. While two pit bulls darted out of the structure, only one of them managed to bite the police dog. The dog owner was nowhere in site. Vvorra was rushed to the emergency room after being bit on the thigh and nose. Her nose bled profusely. Officer Kevin broke the dogs up just in time. His police canine did not bite the pit bulls back. She had never been in a fight with other canines before.

When the pit bulls owner, Latina Griffin (27), finally came out, she was issued two citations. One citation was for failing to restrain an animal, and the other for failing to exercise her responsibilities as an animal owner. Luckily, Vvorra is fine now and back on duty after two days.

There you have it; another irresponsible pet owner leaves her pit bulls unrestrained. What if it had been a small child walking by the make shift shelter? Would Latin Griffin had been able to run out in time and stop her dogs from attacking a child? Irresponsible owners like Latina are giving pit bulls a worse reputation than they already have. Banning this breed of dog definitely isn’t the answer either. But perhaps, requiring pit bull owners to obtain certain licenses or take certain classes in order to qualify to own one is the solution. Pit bulls aren’t a particularly vicious breed; they just require a lot of extra attention and socialization training from their owners. Chicago injury attorneys Zneimer and Zneimer specialize in dog bite cases, many of which are cause by unrestrained animals like Latinas dogs. If you have been the victim of a dog bite, contact Zneimer and Zneimer for a free personal injury consultation.

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In this day and age, everyone has a cell phone, from children to senior citizens. They certainly are a convenience since you can use them to listen to music, text, surf the internet, check your email, take photos, play games, and the list goes on and on. What is alarming however, is that today more and more people are driving while texting. Texting while driving has gone up 50% last year despite many states rushing to ban it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration measures this by staking out certain stoplights and intersections and counting the people using cell phones and other hand held devices. As it turns out, at any given moment, approximately 1% of people are manipulating their cell phone while driving. While that number may seem low, it is basically saying that 1 out of 100 cars that drive by you today may hit you because they were busy texting. Cell phones have certainly added to the number of distractions drivers already have while behind the wheel. A distracted driver is a big problem since they may be more likely to auto accidents on a regular basis. It’s estimated that in 2010, 3,092 deaths in crashes were caused by distractions.

In a separate study conducted, ages of 18 and 24. Law officials fear educational messages are not enough to curb this behavior. They are stepping up giving out tickets to cell phone users because the simple fact is, many drivers won’t stop texting until they fear getting a ticket.

In fact, a record number of drivers were issued cell phone violation tickets in 2010 alone, translating into millions of dollars in revenue for Chicago. According to the 73% increase from 2006. These tickets brought in $2.2 million for the city. Furthermore, the fines are said to have increased steadily from $50 dollars to up to $500 dollars today. This type of ticket is very hard to fight in a court room. While there is no proof that giving out more tickets will translate into safer roads, do yourself a favor and stay off your phone while driving. Use a hands free headset or have a friend text the message for you. It isn’t worth a car accident and isn’t worth getting a ticket over. Cell phone bills are expensive enough. If you have been in an auto accident, contact injury attorneys

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