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Family sues Hinsdale car wash after boy's death
The family of a 14-year-old boy who died earlier this year after a crash at a Hinsdale car wash is suing the business.
HINSDALE, Ill. - The family of a 14-year-old boy who died earlier this year after a crash at a Hinsdale car wash is suing the business.
Clifford Law Offices filed the lawsuit Wednesday morning on behalf of Sean Richards' parents, Brian and Kristine, against the managers and employees of Fuller's Car Wash.
Sean's parents and their attorneys said the accident was "preventable" and that the car wash failed to take reasonable action to prevent it.
The family's attorneys said an employee that young – 16 years old – had no business driving cars in a commercial capacity.
"Fuller's knew that this was likely to happen. They knew that this could happen and they took absolutely no reasonable steps to prevent this tragedy from occurring," said Bradley Cosgrove, with the law office.
The crash happened at 2:30 p.m., July 17, when the 16-year-old employee drove his vehicle to the end of the car wash and went through the exit. The teen pressed the accelerator pedal to the fullest, but thought it was the brake pedal, according to authorities.
The driver struck Sean Richards, who was walking on the sidewalk while on his way from an orthodontist appointment to the library. The vehicle then crashed into Fontano's Subs across the street, DuPage County officials said.
"Sean loved and was loved," said his father, Brian, at a Wednesday news conference at Clifford Law Offices. "The world lost a truly special person. What made Sean special was he always saw the best in others and never said anything bad about anyone else."
Richards was taken to Hinsdale Hospital and was later transferred to the University of Chicago. Three days after the crash, he died from his injuries.
"Sean should be alive today," said his mother, Kristine. "He should be finishing final exams, attending swim practice, and getting ready for Christmas with his family."
In October, it was determined the teen driver would not be facing any criminal charges.
DuPage County investigators determined the crash was an accident and that the driver did not intend to physically harm anyone.
The driver was issued three citations, which include the following:
- Failure to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian
- Failure to yield the right of way to a pedestrian on a sidewalk
- Failure to decrease speed to avoid colliding with a person
Fuller's Car Wash issued a statement that didn't address the allegations but said this in part:
"Now that the legal process has begun, it does not change our heavy hearts and the grief we feel for the Richards family...the depth of this tragedy is felt daily by our family and employees. Our pledge is to remember and our promise is to serve the community faithfully as we have for decades."