Off-duty EMT Sued for Not Helping Ill. Man He Hit, Killed

Dec. 12--The family of a Park Ridge man killed in a hit-and-run crash last month is suing the driver, an emergency medical technician, for speeding and not helping the man after the accident.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, Richard Bougan says his brother, Ronald, was struck by Kristian Hernandez, 36, while walking on the south side of West Touhy Avenue on Nov. 5 near the entrance to the Axehead Lake Forest Preserve in the north suburbs.

The suit says Hernandez failed to keep a proper lookout, sped, drove in multiple lanes and didn't assist the 53-year-old man after hitting him with his black Dodge Challenger.

Cook County sheriff's police said Hernandez drove away from the scene and someone riding a bicycle found Bougan lying in the grass off the road.

Officers canvassed auto body shops and learned Hernandez brought in a car they believed was involved in the accident. At the time of his arrest, Hernandez worked as an EMT for a private ambulance company in Skokie.

The suit seeks in excess of $50,000.

jmdelgado@tribune.com

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