Medics Sued Over Hinsdale Couple's Deaths In Crash

LA GRANGE, IL – Medics failed to stop a woman from crashing into another car in La Grange in 2025, killing a Hinsdale couple, a lawsuit alleges.

The family of Brett Allen Lane, 51, and Melissa Ann Lane, 49, recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court over the April 25, 2025, crash.

They sued La Grange Highlands-based Pleasantview Fire Protection District and the other driver, Bozena Slimak.

During the afternoon in question, Pleasantview responded to a crash on Willow Springs Road, near Lyons Township High School's South Campus, according to the lawsuit.

Pleasantview medics showed up and found driver Bozena Slimak suffering a seizure and then morphing into "cognitive dysfunction," a state known for psychiatric symptoms such as agitation and hallucinations, the lawsuit said.

Despite the danger, medics failed to secure Slimak's 2017 Nissan and remove the keys from the ignition, the family alleged.

This allowed Slimak to reverse her car and speed away, with Pleasantview attempting to pursue her toward 47th Street and Willow Springs Road, the family said.

Pleasantview failed to warn other police and firefighters about the urgent need to block traffic on 47th Street, according to the lawsuit.

Slimak swerved around a Western Springs squad car on Willow Springs Road, speeding 90 mph and running a red light at 47th and Willow Springs Road, the family said.

She then crashed into the Lanes, who were in a 2024 Porsche 718 Cayman, the lawsuit said.

The plaintiffs are the Lanes' son, Simon Lane, and Melissa Ann Lane's mother, Elizabeth Rocci. Both are executors of the couple's estate.

Patch left a message for comment with Pleasantview's chief, Tim Donatucci, on Thursday morning. No contact information could be found for Slimak.

Nearly 14 months later, La Grange police have yet to finish their investigation into the fatal crash. The village manager has called it an unusually complex case.

Shortly after the crash, police said they were considering the possibility that a health issue may have played a role in the driver's conduct, though they did not release the driver's name.

Before the fatal collision, Western Springs officers responded to two crashes involving the same vehicle in the village's part of Willow Springs Road, police said.

Another recent lawsuit against Slimak is from a driver in one of the other crashes.

Besides Slimak, plaintiff Dawn Mack names seven agencies as defendants – Pleasantview, the La Grange police and fire departments, the Western Springs police and fire departments, and the Hinsdale and La Grange Park police departments.

The lawsuit alleged that the responding agencies did not attempt to block off traffic on 47th Street as Slimak sped toward the intersection.

In the lawsuit, Mack said she suffered permanent injuries.