U.S. Capital

Attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg Comments on Charges Against Truck Driver Involved in Crash That Killed State Trooper

Feb 10, 2014

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) February 10, 2014 – A Wisconsin truck driver has been charged with felonies over the March 2013 crash that killed Illinois State Police Trooper James Sauter.

According to Monique Bond of the Illinois State Police, Andrew Bokelman, 26, has been charged with felony violations of truck driving regulations after he allegedly fell asleep at the wheel on March 28.

“The allegations in this terrible accident are a reminder that driver fatigue can be deadly,” said Robert Briskman, a Chicago truck accident attorney.

The charges against Bokelman include rule violations (for driving after working 14 hours without taking 10 consecutive hours off), driving while fatigued and falsifying work logs. At a court hearing, bond was set at $125,000.

Bokelman previously received a traffic citation for improper lane usage, but that ticket was dismissed on April 15, 2013.

Bokelman’s attorney stated that his client was cooperating in the investigation, and that he had attempted to extract Sauter from his vehicle after the crash but was unable to do so because of the flames.

At the time of the accident, Sauter’s cruiser was stationary on the left shoulder of I-294 near Willow Road, where the trooper had stopped to assist a motorist. When the semi driven by Bokelman struck the patrol car, it sparked a fire. Both the cruiser and the truck’s cab were severely damaged by fire.

Sauter was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Bokelman received a burn to his hand but was otherwise uninjured.

Sauter had previously worked for the ISP Air Ops unit as a pilot but had returned to patrol duties.

While still a cadet, Sauter received a Lifesaving Medal in October 2008 after he helped a woman who had been in a motorcycle crash. The trooper used his first responder bag to help the victim, who was lying face down in a pool of blood on I-80. Sauter helped clear her airway before she was taken to a hospital.

Hiram Grau, director of the Illinois State Police, said that Sauter’s service to the agency would always be remembered. Dozens of state troopers came to the Skokie Courthouse for Bokelman’s appearance in court.

Learn more at http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/practice-areas/wrongful-death/

Briskman Briskman & Greenberg
351 West Hubbard Street, Ste 810
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312.222.0010
Facebook: Like Us!
Google Places: Contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer from Briskman Briskman & Greenberg on Google Places!

  • Government Pushes for Better Car Safety Systems
    The federal government is pushing for automobile safety systems that are expected to aid in the prevention of car accidents. The systems include seat belt interlocks, collision avoidance systems and alcohol detection devices. Collision avoidance systems — which warn drivers when they are about to strike another vehicle and can automatically apply the brakes — […]
  • Wrongful Death Suit Filed in Fatal Crash of Stolen Police Car
    The son of a woman killed in a collision with a stolen police car has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit is being filed by Reginald Quarles, who claims that his mother, Maxsimillion Quarles, was killed after Ricky Raper stole a police car and crashed into her vehicle. According to the complaint, the incident […]
  • Dangerous Car Seat Mistakes and How a Police Shooting has Become a Wrongful Death Case – Podcast
    Don’t make these common car seat mistakes plus learn about the police shooting that is now at the center of a wrongful death case on this month’s Chicago Injury Alert.
  • Pfizer Not Liable for Birth Injuries Caused by Generic Zoloft, Judge Rules
    Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zoloft, cannot be held liable for birth injuries allegedly caused by a generic version of the drug, a New York state judge ruled. New York County Supreme Court Judge Carol E. Huff issued the ruling, saying that a company does not have a duty regarding products and labels over which it […]
  • New Guidelines Say Doctors Should Report Colleagues’ Medical Mistakes
    New guidelines have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine encouraging doctors to talk to colleagues directly when they observe an error in medical treatment. The Journal also set a standard for when and how to disclose such mistakes to patients. It is estimated that medical errors kill 440,000 people each year in […]

The Chicago Injury Alert Podcast