Joliet Ironworkers Local 444 Tragedy Leads To Wrongful Death Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL — Jennifer Adams and Rachel Adams have filed a wrongful death in Will County against Kankakee motorist Dale Guttendorf in connection with the March 7 deaths of their husbands in a crash along Route 113 near Irish Lane in Custer Township.

The lawsuit states that Guttendorf was driving south on Route 113 and the defendant "owed a duty of care to operate his motor vehicle in a reasonably safe manner."

According to the plaintiffs, Andrew J. Adams was driving his vehicle north on Route 113 near Irish Lane and the vehicle he "was operating had the right of way."

In March, Patch reported that the driver of a pickup truck, Andy Adams, 47, died at the scene and his 30-year-old son, Andrew, died several hours later at a Kankakee hospital.

The father and son were in Andy Adams' 1999 silver Chevrolet S10 driving on Route 113 at 5:10 a.m. on a Tuesday when a 21-year-old motorist, also from Kankakee, entered their northbound lane, crashing into their truck, causing both vehicles to erupt in flames, near Braidwood.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Chicago attorney Craig Squillace of Clifford Law Offices. The lawsuit seeks total damages in excess of $50,000 for Jennifer Adams and Rachel Adams.

As for Guttendorf, there is no mugshot on file at the Will County Jail. Court records indicate his grandmother in Herscher posted the necessary $10,000 cash for his $100,000 bail with the Illinois State Police back on July 29. He's charged with two counts of reckless homicide.

The Kankakee resident's next court hearing is set for Sept. 27 in Courtroom 405 of Judge Dave Carlson.

Related Patch coverage:

Deaths Of Father, Son, Both Ironworkers Local 444, Leads To Charges

GoFundMe: Father, Son, Both Ironworkers Local 444, Killed In Crash