15-Year-Old Driver Cited in Fatal Crash

BATAVIA, IL — A 15-year-old North Aurora girl, who was driving with a family member and had a valid learner’s permit, has been cited for failure to yield in a crash that killed a motorcyclist in Batavia earlier this month, police said Friday.

Justin Retherford-Speer, 20, of Oswego was traveling north on the inside lane of Randall Road, approaching Main Street in Batavia, at 8:20 p.m. on Aug. 4 when his motorcycle collided with a 2009 Pontiac Vibe, according to a Batavia Police Department press release.

Following an investigation into the crash, police determined the Vibe, which was heading south on Randall and was driven by the 15-year-old North Aurora girl, was beginning to turn east onto Main Street prior to seeing the motorcycle. The driver then stopped mid-turn with a portion of the Vibe’s hood sticking out in the northbound, inside lane of traffic on Randall Road, according to police.

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The 1994 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, driven by Retherford-Speer, began to skid after the driver applied his brakes to try and avoid hitting the Vibe, police said. The motorcycle fell to its side. Retherford-Speer was ejected from the motorcycle and struck the front end of the Pontiac. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

The 15-year-old girl was cited for failure to yield turning left. She is expected in court on Sept. 13. The girl and a passenger in the vehicle, a relative of the teenage girl, did not report any injuries from the crash.

Alcohol or distracted driving does not appear to be a factor in the crash. Police said Retherford-Speer had a Class “D” driver’s license but had no Class “M” motorcycle classification.

The Batavia Police Department was assisted by the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team in investigating the crash.

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