YORKVILLE – The driver of the car that struck a tractor-pulled haywagon in October on River Road near Plano has yet to be tracked down to be served a notice of a lawsuit from a passenger who was the most severely injured in the crash.
Laurie Niego is one of the lawyers for Dominic Milam, who is acting as a power of attorney for Steven Milam, the victim in the crash. She said during a brief court hearing Friday, Jan. 31, in courtroom 115 at the Kendall County Courthouse that Milam’s counsel has had a hard time trying to track down Kaitlin Minick, the driver of the car that rear-ended the haywagon and the defendant in the lawsuit.
“We’ve tried multiple addresses and it’s still out for service on her,” Niego said.
Niego said Milam’s counsel is working with Kane County law enforcement to try and track Minick down to serve her the lawsuit. Minick’s address previously has been listed in DeKalb.
Niego was not immediately available for additional comment regarding the current condition of the victim. Milam’s counsel previously said Milam still was hospitalized for his injuries in November 2019, was still in serious condition and was going to need significant treatment in the future.
The update comes after Milam sued Minick in November 2019 and is asking for financial compensation from injuries suffered from the Oct. 12, 2019 crash, according to Kendall County court records.
According to November 2019 court records, the victim “suffered and will in the future suffer great pain, anguish and physical and mental suffering; was deprived and will in the future be deprived of earnings; has expended and will in the future expend great sums of money in an attempt to be healed of his injuries; and has [and] will suffer disability and disfigurement” as a result of the crash.
As a result, the victim’s power of attorney is seeking judgment against Minick “in such sums of money in excess of this Court’s jurisdictional requisite that will fairly and adequately compensate him for the injuries and losses alleged herein,” according to court records. No specific dollar amount was named in the lawsuit.
The attorneys and the victim are only able to get as much information about the accident as the public can, Milam’s counsel had said. Filing the lawsuit could provide more options in investigating what happened, including subpoenaing full unredacted police reports and witnesses to the accident.
Both parties are due back in court 9 a.m. March 16 at the Kendall County Courthouse, 807 John St., Yorkville.
Milam was one of the 11 passengers of the haywagon that were ejected from the wagon during the crash.
Gary M. Sleezer, 48, of the 12000 block of Andrew Street in Plano, who was the tractor driver, previously was issued a traffic citation for operating a farm tractor on a roadway when it was not being used in connection with farming operations. He filed a not guilty plea on the violation and a bench trial for the case is set to begin at 1 p.m. March 9, according to court records.
That update follows Minick being cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after the incident. She also was cited for operation of uninsured motor vehicle causing bodily harm in December 2019, according to court records.
Minick is due back in court for the traffic violations at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 26 at the Kendall County Courthouse.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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