An 89-year-old Riverside man was cited for a variety of infractions after allegedly striking a pedestrian crossing Riverside Road at East Quincy Street and then dragging her 80 feet before stopping.
According to Riverside police, James M. Hybl turned from eastbound Burling Road onto Riverside Road and was traveling north when he allegedly struck a 17-year-old Chicago girl who was crossing the street. The man continued driving until the girl’s brother succeeded in getting Hybl’s attention by banging on his window.
Two witnesses at the scene reported to police that the girl had stopped at the crosswalk and waited as Hybl’s car appeared to slow and let her cross. But when she entered the crosswalk, the 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis kept going, running her down and dragging her nearly to the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad tracks.
Assistant Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said he had no information on the girl’s condition as of Monday morning, but indicated that she had suffered multiple fractures and described her injuries as “severe.”
She was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for treatment, but Weitzel said hospital officials would not release any information on the girl’s present condition.
Hybl was cited for operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to yield to a pedestrian. In addition, Riverside police have filed paperwork requesting that Hybl be reexamined by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, since Hybl’s age was determined by police to have been a contributing factor in the incident.
?”Bob Uphues
