How LTHS Student Injured In Crash Is Doing

LA GRANGE, IL – The father of a student who was severely injured in a May crash next to Lyons Township High School's North Campus reported on how his son has been doing since then.

Meanwhile, Patch obtained the police report for the crash. No tickets were issued.

The crash occurred shortly after school May 10 just south of the intersection of Brainard and Burlington avenues, the report said.

Both the driver and the victim were seniors at the school.

The victim, a 17-year-old Brookfield resident, was found unconscious with blood in his mouth and his eyes partially closed, police said.

The driver, an 18-year-old La Grange Highlands resident, was at the site of the crash. But his car, a 2006 Jeep Wrangler, was not, police said.

The driver told an officer that his 16-year-old sister, another student, drove the car away after the crash, according to the report.

The officer requested the car be returned to the site. The driver called his sister, who brought it back.

In an interview, the driver said he was not distracted and did not recall seeing the other student in the street.

His sister told the officer that she yelled at her brother just before the crash, police said. She, too, said her brother was not distracted.

One Airpod was found at the crash site, police said. The boy's father confirmed that his son usually wears Airpods to school, according to the report.

A neighbor who was gardening told police she was aware of the crash when ambulances arrived, police said. She said the Jeep Wrangler was in front of her house with someone behind the wheel before emergency services motioned it to leave, police said.

The neighbor said the vehicle did not voluntarily leave the crash site, police said.

According to the report, it was unknown whether the victim used a crosswalk. According to a lawsuit against the driver, the victim did.

The lawsuit contends the driver failed to yield the right of way to the pedestrian and drove at a speed that endangered people.

In an interview, the victim's father said his son is recovering from the crash. He has a full-time job and is enrolled to study mechanical engineering part time this coming semester.

Because of the crash, the father said, his son is suffering from psychological issues. The crash altered his voice, he said.

"If my son had been driving recklessly in a school zone and struck another person, I would support my son as a father should, but I would also expect him to face the consequences, legal or otherwise," the father said.

His son graduated in May, but did not attend the ceremony because of his injuries, the father said.

Patch received a redacted police report through the La Grange Police Department. It obtained an unredacted one from another source.

The redactions largely involved medical information.