Pedestrian Injured in Barrington Accident
Incident follows pattern of increasing serious traffic incidents in Lake County corridor
A 33-year-old Crystal Lake man was seriously injured when a car hit him on Route 22 near Kelsey Road in unincorporated Barrington. Sheriff’s deputies found the victim near the road around 11:10 p.m. Monday. He was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and later transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for specialized care.
Investigators determined the man had been walking along the side of the road when he was hit by a vehicle. Debris at the scene led investigators to believe the vehicle was a silver or gray Volkswagen Atlas traveling westbound on Route 22. The driver fled the area.
Authorities identified the driver as John Zurawski, 73, of Cary. Zurawski was charged with aggravated driving under the influence and hit-and-run. The crash remains under investigation.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigated the hit-and-run, using a license plate reader system to identify a vehicle after determining its make from debris. John Zurawski, 73, of Cary, was identified as the driver and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. He faces charges of aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, with additional charges pending. The vehicle was found at a home in the 300 block of Sterling Circle.
National Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal, noted that "What's truly haunting about hit-and-runs is the feeling of being abandoned in a moment of crisis. Most of these drivers are caught within forty-eight hours if there's any physical evidence left behind."
Under Illinois law, a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle driver may pursue compensation through personal injury lawsuits. Illinois operates under a modified comparative negligence system. Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, a plaintiff can recover damages as long as their share of fault does not exceed 50 percent of the total proximate cause of the incident.
Victims of such collisions often qualify for damages covering current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Identifying all liable parties and preserving physical evidence—such as vehicle debris or digital records from license plate readers—is critical for establishing the facts of a claim. The statute of limitations for personal injury actions in Illinois is generally two years from the date of the incident.