Lawsuit Blames Joliet In Homeless Man's Death

JOLIET, IL - It was already dark on Nov. 8, 2016, when William Brinkman entered the pedestrian cross walk at the intersection of Jackson Street and Eastern Avenue. That night, a semi turning onto Jackson Street hit the homeless man on Joliet's east side. Brinkman, 54, died of massive injuries that night. This week, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed at the Will County Courthouse against the City of Joliet, ComEd, Swift Transportation and their semi driver, Anthony Bogdanich.

The lawsuit blames Joliet and ComEd for having a defective street light at the intersection when the pedestrian was struck and killed in the street.

"Joliet had a duty to maintain its property in reasonably safe condition ... Joliet actually knew or by exercise of reasonable care should have discovered that the street light was not sufficiently illuminated," the lawsuit alleges. "William Brinkman was a pedestrian crossing Eastern Avenue in the cross walk at Eastern Avenue and Jackson Street."

The lawsuit makes similar allegations against co-defendant, ComEd. "As a direct and proximate result of one or more negligent acts ... William Brinkman endured suffering and resulting death."

The semi driver for Swift is blamed in the lawsuit for having "failed to yield the right of way" and for having "failed to keep a proper and sufficient look out."

This week's Will County lawsuit was filed by Devon Bank, a financial institution listed in court files as the special administrator of Brinkman's estate. Two law firms are representing the estate in the wrongful death lawsuit, Joliet lawyer Greg Leiter of Leiter Law Offices and Shannon Law Group of Woodridge.

ORIGINAL STORY: Homeless Man Killed By Truck In Joliet

Image of Jackson Street and Eastern Avenue via Google Maps