Washington County, IL — A 16-year old girl was sent to the hospital after a wrong-way car accident on Interstate 64 in Washington County, Illinois, on Monday, January 26, 2015. The accident happened around 9:15 at night.
Police say that a Chevrolet pickup truck was traveling west in the eastbound lanes of the interstate. The truck crashed head-on into a Buick sedan.
The drivers of both vehicles were not injured in the accident, however, a 16-year old girl inside the Buick was injured and taken to a local hospital. Officials say that the injuries she sustained were not life-threatening. The girl’s name was not released.
The driver of the pickup was identified as 44-year old Angelo Barry. He’s been ticketed in the past for DUI, driving the wrong-way and reckless driving.
Police are still investigating the accident. It’s not clear if Barry was drinking at the time.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Even in accidents like this, in which fault seems to be pretty clearly established, settling matters and moving on can be difficult. The reason for this is that there’s no law that says someone responsible for an accident has to make things right for those he’s injured. Even if the police find the driver at-fault. What’s more, an insurance company has a legal obligation to defend their clients. It’s important to remember that the best interests of an insurance company are not necessarily a victim’s best interests. The only way an insurance company is going to want to resolve things quickly is when they realize that dragging an accident into court is going to cost them more money. In these cases, evidence to prove a case is key. And that takes a thorough, independent investigation of the scene of the accident. Unfortunately, the police investigation doesn’t always go far enough, as they’re more concerned with figuring out whether or not any laws were broken.
— Grossman Law Offices