Belleville accident is subject of Madison County suit

A man says his head, neck, shoulders, back and legs were seriously injured after he was rear-ended while stopped at a red light.

Hector Rodriguez filed a lawsuit Sept. 11 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Mei Yee Chui and Song Gao.

Rodriguez claims he was driving his 2002 Hyundai Accent west in the 100 block of North Belt East in Belleville and was stopped at a red light at the road's intersection with North Illinois Street on Dec. 27, 2007, at about 4:57 p.m.

At the same time, Chui was driving west in a 1999 Lexus GS300 directly behind Rodriguez when she failed to stop for the light and rear-ended him, according to the complaint. At the time of the collision, Chui was driving a vehicle Gao had lent to her.

Because of the accident, Rodriguez claims he was made sick, sore, lame and disordered, suffered great pain and anguish and incurred medical costs. In addition, he suffered internal derangement of the injured members of his body and has been prevented from earning money and from participating in his normal activities, the suit states.

Rodriguez blames Chui for failing to keep the vehicle under proper control, for failing to see his vehicle, for following another vehicle too closely and for failing to reduce her speed to avoid a collision.

Gao should never have let an unsafe and incompetent driver, such as Chui, borrow his car, the complaint says.

In the two-count suit, Rodriguez is seeking more than $100,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

Richard G. Reed and Jeanine R. Armstrong of Reed and Bruhn in Belleville will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-479.