Woman Paralyzed in Crash Files Lawsuit Against Naperville Man

Caption: Kelsey Ibach, 30, was paralyzed in a Chicago car crash on Sept. 13. Photo Credit: GoFundMe website

A 30-year-old Arlington Heights woman has filed a lawsuit against Phillip Cho of Naperville who is accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that left the Arlington Heights woman paralyzed from the waist down, according to the Naperville Sun.

Kelsey Ibach has also filed the lawsuit against The Mid, 306 N. Halsted and Hubbard House Inn, 110 W. Hubbard, in Chicago, which are both locations where Cho, 28, allegedly consumed alcoholic beverages on the night of Sept. 13, the newspaper reports.

Cho was behind the wheel of his 2008 BMW in the early morning hours of Sept. 13 when he and his passengers, including Ibach, left the party at the nightclub where Cho was an “informal promoter,” the prosecutor said.

According to the criminal complaint, Cho was driving at a high rate of speed in the 700 block of West Erie Street in Chicago, when he lost control of the car and struck a light pole around 4 a.m. as his passengers pleaded for him to slow down. The BMW left the roadway and landed upside down at the bottom of an embankment.

The lawsuit is seeking $600,000 in damages and also names Pure Sole Entertainment, Cho’s employer, for negligence, according to the Naperville Sun.

Read more on the Naperville Sun

The above article was updated on Oct. 13. 

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Lorraine Swanson contributed to this article

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: An Arlington Heights family is hopeful their 25-year-old daughter will eventually recover following a crash in which the driver is accused of fleeing the scene of the accident earlier this month, according to the Daily Herald.

Kelsey Ibach, a 2007 graduate from Hersey High School, was paralyzed in the crash that occurred on Sept. 13 and is unable to move or feel anything below her waist, the Daily Herald reports. As of Friday, Ibach had been released from the hospital and was admitted to a rehabilitation center in Chicago, according toa Caring Bridge page set up for Ibach.

Meanwhile, a Cook County judge set bail last week at $200,000 for the 28-year-old Naperville man accused of fleeing his damaged BMW after an accident that injured Ibach and three other passengers.

Philip Cho, 28, appeared on a felony charge of failure to report an accident with serious injuries before Cook County Associate Judge Peggy Chiampis at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th and California. The Naperville man also faces misdemeanor charges of failure to notify authorities of a damaged or unattended vehicle and failure to reduce speed.

Other charges may be forthcoming, the prosecutor said. Chicago police detectives are reviewing security video from a West Loop nightclub, where Cho and four other people had been attending a party.

Cho was behind the wheel of his 2008 BMW in the early morning hours of Sept. 13 when he and his passengers left the party at the nightclub where Cho was an “informal promoter,” the prosecutor said.

According to the criminal complaint, Cho was driving at a high rate of speed in the 700 block of West Erie Street in Chicago, when he lost control of the car and struck a light pole around 4 a.m. as his passengers pleaded for him to slow down. The BMW left the roadway and landed upside down at the bottom of an embankment.

Like Cho, the other passengers were all in their mid to late 20s. A female passenger laying on the roof inside the car unable to move pleaded for Cho to call an ambulance, while Cho repeatedly told his friends to tell police that the BMW had been carjacked. He then disappeared from the scene and left behind his injured friends, the prosecutor alleged.

All of the victims were taken to area trauma centers. One victim’s thumb needed to be reattached to his hand another had three broken vertebrae as well as broken ribs, according to the complaint.

Ibach’s spine was crushed in the front and back and she suffered seven broken ribs; a blood spot on the brain, which has since disappeared; and two punctured lungs, according to the Daily Herald. Ibach’s father, Bob Ibach, said he is hopeful his daughter’s positive attitude will help make the difference in her recovery, according to the article.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Ibach financially and as of Monday afternoon, over $30,000 has been raised. The money will help pay for medical expenses.

Past Record for Cho

The prosecutor said Cho was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence in 2008 in Naperville.

Cho’s attorney told the judge that he was a lifelong Naperville resident and lived at home with his parents. He is a graduate of DePaul University and currently employed at a moving company.

The attorney said that Cho turned himself into police 36 hours after the accident occurred on Sept. 13 and asked for special conditions of release.

“Oh, I will be doing some special conditions,” Judge Chiampis told Cho’s attorney. “These facts are egregious. I don’t care if this was 36 hours later. He left a scene with a young lady pleading for his help who is now a paraplegic.”

According to Cho’s Linkedin profile, he is a graduate of Naperville North High School. He also lists himself as the owner of Pure Soul Entertainment, a nightlife event planning company for people interested in dance and music.

“Allow Pure Soul Entertainment to plan your next party and you will have NO regrets!!” a description of the company says.

Cho must put up 10 percent of the bail, or $20,000. Judge Chiampis also imposed 24/7 home confinement for Cho, except for to go to work. He also is not allowed to drive.

“And no more promoting,” the judge said. “Do you understand me, young man?”

Cho is due back in court later this month.