Chicago Injury News

Fill out the form
to speak to an
Injury Lawyer Now.

Freeport Woman Died After Being Struck In Crosswalk Family

November 2, 2005

The family of a Freeport resident killed when she was struck by a school bus in January filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday, September 23, in Stephenson County Circuit Court against former Freeport bus driver Christine Braden and Freeport School District 145.

Susan D. Filiz, 54, of Freeport was hit by a District 145 school bus on January 13 while she was in the crosswalk at the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Stephenson Street. She later died as a result of the severe head injuries she received.

Christine Braden was driving the bus that struck Susan Filiz and was found guilty in July of failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk.

She was sentenced to a $500 fine plus court costs, the maximum penalty allowable for an ordinance violation of that sort, officials said.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed Friday by Deb Moe, Filiz's daughter and the administrator of the Filiz estate.

The six-count suit alleges, among other things, that Ms Braden was guilty of negligence in the manner that she drove the school bus at that intersection, striking Filiz when she was more than halfway through the crosswalk over Stephenson Street. Specifically, the suit states that Braden 'failed to yield the right of way to a pedestrian' and 'failed to exercise due care.'

In addition, the suit accuses the school district of 'negligent entrustment' for entrusting Braden with the responsibilities of a bus driver even though the district allegedly knew Braden was an 'incompetent' and 'reckless' driver and that she has a significant history of traffic violations. The suit asks for unspecified damages in excess of $50,000.