Chicago Injury Attorney Blog

A tragic Illinois train-car accident has claimed the lives of two grandparents and their grandchild. The people that died are Benjamin Rasmusen, 82, Marilyn Rasmusen, 81, and Elizabeth Rasmusen, 9. The deadly LaSalle County train accident happened on Monday afternoon. Elizabeth’s siblings, Ben, 7, and Emilia, 11,were also injured in the Illinois train wreck. They were transported to local hospitals and are recovering from their injuries.

According to the sheriff’s office, the motor vehicle carrying all of the victims was headed south on East 23rd Road while the Amtrak train was going west. The train hit the vehicle at the railroad intersection. The cause of the Amtrak train accident is still under investigation.

Monday’s fatal collision comes just a few days after five teenagers were killed when an Amtrak passenger train struck the vehicle that they were riding in. The train was going from Detroit to Chicago on Thursday.

According to witnesses, the car’s driver, 19-year-old Dan Broughton, tried to go around the gate crossing and was hit by the train, which pushed the vehicle approximately a mile from one crossing to the next. The warning device and the gate at the crossing where the train accident happened appeared to have been working.

Broughton, Jessica Sadler, 14, Eddie Gross, 17, Terrence Harris, 21, and his brother Sean Harris, 19 were killed in the Amtrak train crash.State records show that Broughton’s driver’s license was suspended the day before the train-car crash because he had a poor driving record. Violations that led the suspension included speeding, driving without a valid license, failure to stop at a stop sign, and causing a motor vehicle crash.

If you or someone you love was injured in an Illinois train accident, you may have grounds for filing a personal injury claim or a wrongful death lawsuit. Liable parties may include the train company, a negligent driver, the manufacturer of the train, an auto manufacturer, or another party.

Three killed after Amtrak train, car collide in LaSalle County, Chicago Sun-Times, July 13, 2009

Train hits car near Detroit, killing 5 in sedan, AP, July 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Amtrak

Train Accidents, Justia