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Firehouse.Com News
The driver of a car that fatally struck a Chicago fire lieutenant on
Saturday has been charged with reckless homicide.
Seeing the driver held accountable, however, can provide little satisfaction
for the fire department, said spokesman Mike Cosgrove.
"It will not bring Lt. Gillen back," he said.
"The fire department is in the midst of preparing a funeral to honor the
firefighter and at this time wishes that the law enforcement authorities
perform their job and charge the driver with whatever is appropriate," the
spokesman said.
Newly appointed lieutenant Scott Gillen, 37, the father of five daughters,
was killed as he was working at the scene of a traffic accident shortly
after 2 a.m. Saturday morning.
Police said the driver of the car, Carlando Hurt, failed to merge around the
parked emergency vehicles.
Gillen was trapped between the car and his own ladder truck, which he had
been standing behind. After he was extricated, he was taken to an area
hospital where he died a short time later. There were no other serious
injuries in the crash.
Other charges Hunt faces include failing to yield to an emergency vehicle,
driving under the influence and driving with a revoked license. At a bond
hearing, prosecutors also told the judge that Hurt was legally drunk at the
tie of the crash, the Chicago Tribune reported. Hunt's bond was set at
$400,000.
Gillen was a 14-year veteran of the fire department and is part of a
firefighting family. He had been promoted to lieutenant just two weeks ago.
The death was the second this year in Chicago involving a vehicle-related
accident. Chicago Fire Lieutenant L. C. Merrell was killed and a second
firefighter seriously injured when a ladder truck responding to a false
alarm on Saturday, Apr. 29 was broadsided by a truck that failed to yield
the right-of-way at a four-way stop intersection.
"It is clear that there are members of the public that are not respecting
the importance of emergency vehicles responding to alarms," Cosgrove said.
"The fire comissioner is very upset that this situation takes such a heavy
toll."
Funeral/Memorial Information
Visitation services for Gillen will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 26th from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m.
at the Sheehy Funeral Home in the 9000 block of W. 151st Street in Orland Park, Ill.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, Dec. 27th at 10 a.m. at St. John Fisher Catholic Church,
at 10234 S. Washtenaw Ave. in Chicago.
Related:
Chicago Fire Lieutenant Struck, Killed by Car at Accident Scene