Wrongful death lawsuit filed against trucker, company owner, & warehouse one week after fatal collision with teen on bicycle

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the trucker, company owner, and warehouse involved in a fatal crash involving a teenager on a bicycle in Chicago last week.  

The accident happened at around 11 p.m. on February 18th in Melrose Park, Illinois just outside of a car wash. 

According to ABC 7, 18-year-old Hector Banuelos was heading home from work at Tom’s Steak House when he began crossing a business’s driveway on his bicycle. As he crossed the driveway, a semi truck turning left from across the main road entered the driveway, driving directly into Banuelos. Banuelos was killed in the accident. 

Relatives of Banuelos say that he had moved from Mexico to Chicago less than a year ago to make money to send home to his family. The family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver, the owner of the trucking company he was driving for, and the distributor the driver was heading to. The truck driver has undergone toxicology testing and is not currently facing any charges for the accident. 

“He had a right to be seen. We need our truck drivers to keep a proper lookout,” said attorney Brian Shellcross with Morici, Longo & Associates, who is representing the family. “The Family is absolutely devastated. This was a beloved, 18-year-old young man who had been in the U.S. somewhat recently.”

Surveillance footage of the incident from a nearby car wash can be seen below.