ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) — A Cook County jury has awarded a $10.5 million verdict in the death of a north suburban kindergarten teacher who was struck and killed while riding a bicycle in 2022.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
The bicyclist, 45-year-old Sylwia Wagner Jarosz, died from her injuries after an Arlington Heights crash involving two cars.
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Arlington Heights police responded at about 7:20 a.m. Sept. 29, 2022 to a crash at Lake Cook and Wilke roads and found two vehicles and a bicycle involved.
Police said Ford F550 truck with a trailer was driving east on Lake Cook Road approaching North Wilke Road when a Chevrolet Equinox made a left turn from west Lake Cook Road to go south on Wilke Road. The vehicles crashed, causing the Ford onto the curb and struck the bicyclist waiting to cross Lake Cook Road.
“Sylwia came to a stop at a red light on the southwest corner of the intersection,” a statement from the family’s attorney read in part. “As she was waiting for the light to turn green, a truck owned by AJC Concrete Construction attempted to make a left-hand turn from Lake Cook Road onto Wilke Road. The driver did not stop before entering the intersection over the speed limit and collided with another vehicle, causing the truck to veer off the road and strike Sylwia on her bicycle.”
Jarosz suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Lutheran General Hospital, where she later died.
“A lawsuit was filed on behalf of Sylwia’s husband on March 24, 2023,” the plaintiff’s attorney’s statement read. “The defendants admitted liability just prior to trial and a damages-only trial in the case began on March 11.”
A Cook County jury made the decision Thursday to award Jarosz’s husband $10.5 million.
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