Prominent personal injury lawyer Ben Crump announced Wednesday he would file a wrongful death lawsuit in the case of the Waukegan woman who died after being found unresponsive on the roof of a local hospital.
Crump said he had been retained to file the suit on behalf of the estate of Chelsea Adolphus. The 28-year-old died of hypothermia after leaving her hospital room and accessing the second-floor roof of Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan where she was found on Jan. 23.
“Chelsea Adolphus died alone, freezing on the roof of a hospital where she went for help – a place that should have protected her,” Crump said. “Instead, she was left to walk through an unsecured door that locked behind her, sealing her fate.
“This lawsuit is about holding Vista Medical Center accountable for the horrifying negligence that led to Chelsea’s death and ensuring that no other family has to suffer such a preventable tragedy,” he said.
Adolphus was found on the roof about seven hours after she left her hospital room. When found, she was wearing her hospital gown and had a body temperature of 50 degrees, according to authorities.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek subsequently said she was asking the Illinois Department of Public Health to investigate the death. The hospital said in response that it would file a court action seeking to bar Banek from the investigation, saying she is biased against the facility.
Charges filed
A Zion man is facing a raft of felony charges after police say he shot his girlfriend and then fought with responding officers.
Adrian Olivares, 20, was arrested after police responded at about 3:10 a.m. Tuesday to the 1400 block of West 19th Street for a report of a shooting.
When police arrived, they said Olivares initially refused to come to the door. After he answered, he admitted that his girlfriend, 24, had a gunshot wound, and officers said they could see the woman inside, authorities said.
Olivares tried to stop officers from entering, and he rendered an officer briefly unconscious with a blow to the head before he was subdued by other officers, reports said. The woman, who had a gunshot to her upper torso, was brought to a hospital and was reported in stable condition. The injured officer was treated for a concussion and released from a hospital.
Police searched the residence and recovered three firearms, two of which were stolen, along with drugs, including almost 13 pounds of marijuana, they said.
Authorities say Olivares shot the girlfriend, but his intent is not clear.
He has been charged with aggravated battery to a police officer, reckless discharge of a firearm, as well as drug counts, according to authorities. Other charges may be forthcoming, police said.
K-9 kicked
Lake County Sheriff’s Office police dog Danno was reportedly not hurt despite being kicked in the head by a man during an arrest Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office responded to the 38800 block of Gilbert Avenue in Beach Park at about 3:30 p.m. after a woman called to say a man was attempting to break into her garage. As officers responded, they received a second dispatch from a different woman saying she was being followed by a man who matched the description of the break-in suspect.
Deputies arrived and found the man, identified as Jose Pineda-Carillo, 34, of Waukegan. Police said he became combative during questioning and an officer with K-9 Danno responded for support.
Police said Pineda-Carillo kicked Danno, who responded by biting the man’s foot. Other officers then subdued the suspect.
He was charged with striking a police dog and resisting arrest, along with attempted criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, police said.
“I am grateful that Canine Danno was uninjured after being kicked in the head by an out-of-control offender. Fortunately, none of our deputies were injured either. This incident is yet another reminder of the dangers and risks our deputies — and law enforcement officers across the country — face every day,” Sheriff John Idleburg said.
3-car crash
A Milwaukee-area woman was brought to a hospital for observation after she caused a three-vehicle accident in Gurnee early Thursday, police said.
The woman, a 22-year-old Oak Creek resident, was reportedly driving south on the northbound Frontage Road that serves as the on-ramp for Illinois Route 41 from Washington Street. Her Land Rover collided head-on with a Cadillac, and then a third vehicle ran into the rear of the Cadillac, Gurnee police said.
When officers arrived, the woman appeared to be walking away, but then came back. She then resisted officers who were trying to detain her and had to be subdued, police said.
Her vehicle had been reported stolen the previous night, police said. The other motorists and their passengers were not hurt, police said.
