Wrongful Death Suit For I-55 Wrongway DUI Driver: Cservenyak

WIILMINGTON, IL —Michael Trinka, the 33-year-old previously convicted drunken driver from Wilmington who faces a $3 million bail in connection with his June 27 wrongway wreck on Interstate 55, killing husband and wife Ronald and Kelly Dube, now faces a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Joliet attorney Frank Cservenyak of Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol.

During Thursday's interview, Cservenyak told Joliet Patch the Dubes and three of their children were on their back to their home in Livingston County after dropping off their fourth child at a friend's house for a sleepover.

Cservenyak said it's his understanding that Trinka may have driven for several miles along Interstate 55 going the wrong way. Trinka got on I-55 around Route 113 and the wreck happened near exit 238, near Lorenzo Road, according to Cservenyak said.

"How does this ever happen?" Cservenyak asked. "How does he get on the wrong ramp and keep going? That's really the shocker. It's scary."

The Joliet lawyer said it's his understanding that several motorists saw Trinka driving the wrong way or were nearly hit by him; several called 911 to report him to the Illinois State Police, but the authorities did not get there fast enough to prevent the tragedy.

Trinka passed at least a dozen cars before hitting the Dubes' vehicle head-on, Cservenyak said.

"It's a horrible tragedy," Cservenyak remarked. "He was drinking, and he was under the influence. It's obvious here, four young children are not going to have parents."

According to the lawsuit, Ronald Dube was driving southbound on Interstate 55 near milepost 238 in Wilmington Township and his wife, Kelly Ann Quinlan-Dube, was a passenger.

The lawsuit noted that Trinka was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of I-55 near milepost 238 and "the vehicle operated by defendant Michael Trinka, while driving the wrong direction on the interstate, struck the motor vehicle operated by Ronald Dube."

Three of the Dubes' young children survived the crash, Olivia Ann, Hailey Elaine and Ryan Joseph, according to the lawsuit, and "all of whom sustained pecuniary loss and damages including the loss of society, companionship, love and affection as a result of" their parents' death, court documents reflect,

The lawsuit seeks a judgment on behalf of the special administrator of the estate, Melissa Allen, in excess of $75,000. Trinka is accused of five counts of negligence in the Will County civil lawsuit.

Last week, the Illinois State Police revealed that Trinka, who comes from the 100 block of Tully Road, was being held in the Will County Jail on a $3 million bail, and he faces a dozen felony charges of aggravated driving under the influence from the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

Trinka is a convicted DUI offender. In 2018, Trinka pleaded guilty at the Will County Courthouse in connection with a 2017 DUI arrest.

As for the Dubes' four children, they are now living with an aunt, Cservenyak explained.

As for Trinka, the civil lawsuit defendant and criminal defendant, Cservenyak had this to say:

"And this wasn't his first DUI. We'll do the best we can for their children. Right now, no one's life is ever going to be the same. It's just a horrible tragedy."