Driver In Crash Killing A. Heights Family Members Should Have Had License Revoked In 2013

DES PLAINES, IL — An oversight by Cook County to report a stop sign violation by the driver in a horrendous crash that killed three members of an Arlington Heights family kept the 21-year-old from having his license revoked four years earlier, according to the Arlington Heights Post.

Piotr Rog, of Des Plaines, collided with Kevin Crawford, 52, Anita Crawford, 50, and their 20-year-old daughter, Kirsten Crawford, on Feb. 16 along Northwest Highway. The crash killed all four people.

An investigation revealed that Rog was driving his Mercedes-Benz at about 100 mph at the time of the accident. He also had a history of traffic violations and license suspensions.

In fact, Rog received two traffic citations from Des Plaines police Feb. 10, 2013: a speeding ticket and a ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign, the Post reports. A Cook County Circuit Court judge dismissed the speeding violation, but Rog was convicted of the stop sign infraction, the report added.

RELATED: Des Plaines Crash Kills Driver, 3 Arlington Heights Family Members

That violation, however, was not reported to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office until earlier this month, the report stated. Had it been reported like it should have in 2013, Rog's license would have been revoked four years before this year's fatal accident.

The reason for Rog's license being revoked would have been because he had racked up 80 points against his license after receiving four tickets between May 2012 and April 2013, the report stated. Accumulating that many points over that period of time constitutes the immediate and indefinite revocation of an Illinois driver's license, and the driver cannot petition for reinstatement until at least a year later, the report added.

Rog was punished for his violations, though. His license was revoked for six months between April 27, 2013, and Oct. 27, 2013, the Post reports.

In his five years as a licensed driver, Rog was ticketed eight times, and his license was suspended four times, the report stated. It had been reinstated Jan. 19, just about a month before the fatal collision.

County and state officials do not know why Rog's 2013 ticket was improperly handled, the report stated.

"Someone might have supposed the judge threw out both tickets," David Druker, a spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, told the Post.

It's also unclear whether his license would have still been revoked at the time of the tragic accident.

"Unfortunately, this was a failure of the system, and the Secretary of State has to rely on what's reported to them from the county," State Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) told the Post. "The court took the necessary action with the conviction, but somebody didn't do what they were supposed to do along the chain."

RELATED: More Than $80K Raised For Surviving Kids Of Arlington Heights Family Killed In Crash

The crash is still under investigation, and police have determined if drugs or alcohol were a factor, the report stated. Investigators also would like to talk with Rog's passenger, who remains in a medically induced coma since the accident, the report added.

The Crawfords are survived by two children, daughter Hailee, a 15-year-old Prospect High School sophomore, and son Christian, a 9-year-old Windsor Elementary School fourth-grader. A GoFundMe campaign was created by parents from the schools the two children attend in order to raise money toward their future education. With a goal of $10,000, it has already raised more than $130,000.

More via the Arlington Heights Post

The Crawford family (from left) Hailee, Anita, Kirsten, Christian and Kevin. (screen shot via GoFundMe)

Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Live Traffic and Transit Updates