3 South Suburban Drivers Sued in 2014 Fatal Traffic Accident

Three south suburban motorists are being sued in the February 2014 death of 53-year-old Mary Carpenter, who was struck and killed on South Archer Avenue in Justice.

Her husband, Dennis Carpenter, filed the wrongful death suit on March 18 in Cook County. Robert Okrasinski of Homer Glen, Francis B. Sanders of Hickory Hills and James P. Kulesa of Mokena are named as defendants.

On Feb. 3, 2014, Kulesa caused an accident that forced Mary Carpenter to slow down. As she did so, Sanders hit Carpenter’s car. She and Sanders got out of their cars to talk, then Okrasinski struck Carpenter and she returned to her car, according to the suit.

The three drivers are accused in the lawsuit of failing to keep a proper lookout, control their vehicles, reduce speed to avoid collision and maintain a proper distance from other vehicles and/or pedestrians.