Posted on Sep 30, 2014

Fredi Morales, 20, was with friends and family to watch a boxing match on Saturday, September 13, in Wheeling, Illinois. Most of his family left the gathering Saturday night.  Morales had stayed the night and was leaving the next morning when he was hit and killed by a Wheeling Police vehicle on McHenry Road. Police say Morales was wandering the road and the officer did not see Morales until after the accident.  The police also claim that the officer had the squad car's lights and alarms flashing, but the witnesses' stories contradict that claim. Morales' family is waiting for answers. Details are still developing for this case.

police lights
All motorists should yield to pedestrians-- especially police.

An O’Fallon police officer was involved with a pedestrian crash that left a teenage girl severely injured in Swansea. Captain Reginald Hunter was coming from a charity event at the local high school on Friday, September 19, on Illinois 59. The victim lives near the crash site, and was crossing the road to a convenience store around 8 p.m. One vehicle was in the right lane turning right, and Hunter, who was off duty at the time, was in the left lane. Hunter attempted to stop, but the girl was still hit. Local policy states that police captains are allowed to use city-assigned vehicles while off duty.  The girl’s name has not been released, but her birthdate indicates that she is 15 years old.  A witness claims to have seen Hunter using a cellphone before and after the crash, but no other witnesses corroborated that statement. Hunter was not taken into custody, is not undergoing a personal investigation and continues to be on active duty. The police department is conducting standard procedures to determine what happened that night.

Hupy and Abraham has created PSAs for pedestrian safety by declaring that “every corner is a crosswalk” and drivers need to be attentive to pedestrians waiting to cross. Additionally, the personal injury law firm has distributed over 20,000 “Yield to Pedestrians” stickers to help spread this important message more. 

To get your own free “Yield to Pedestrians” bumper sticker, please fill out the form here.

Jill Erin Wellskopf
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Director of Marketing, Hupy and Abraham