A pedicab driver with six years on the job in Chicago would possibly by no means work round Wrigley Subject once more after a celebration bus slammed into her Saturday. Police didn’t deliver costs in opposition to the driving force for hitting the pedicab driver, in response to Block Membership Chicago.
Round 12:15 a.m. Sunday the driving force of a multicolored get together bus hit two parked automobiles earlier than slamming into the pedicab—full with driver—and driving away. Sarah Yopp, the pedicab driver in query, advised Block Membership Chicago what occurred:
“I used to be in entrance of the van at this level and put my hand out asking the driving force to simply let me again up,” Yopp mentioned. “It occurred so shortly and he simply hit me.”
The video, captured by witness Marisol Santos, reveals the van ramming into Yopp and her bike, pushing them each to the facet as Yopp was thrown to the bottom.
“I used to be in shock,” Yopp mentioned. “I wasn’t bleeding from my head and didn’t have a large break, however after I received house, I spotted I had a concussion. I even have an enormous knot on my again, a black eye and raccoon eyes, which is a symptom of a significant head harm.”
Yopp mentioned the police advised her they couldn’t do something for her until she went to the hospital, so she went house as an alternative earlier than realizing she had suffered a concussion.
Officers later gave Yopp a police report after Rollins had been arrested, however Yopp mentioned she was confused why the person wasn’t charged with crashing into her.
“I may have been killed, and it felt just like the police didn’t wish to assist me in any respect,” Yopp mentioned. “How did they let him off after he hit me?”
Warning, this video could also be upsetting to some readers:
Police later caught up with the get together bus and recognized the driving force as Bryan Rollins. Rollins was charged with “…charged with two misdemeanor counts of driving beneath the affect, police mentioned. He additionally faces 4 visitors violations, together with working an uninsured automobile, failure to hold or show a driver’s license, failure to report an accident, and failure to maintain in his lanes,” in response to the Block Membership.
It positive looks like police may have additionally charged Rollins with not less than aggravated assault quite than speaking the sufferer into going house. From the Illinois Common Meeting statue, an individual is committing aggravated assault when:
With out justification operates a motorized vehicle in a fashion which locations an individual, aside from an individual listed in subdivision (b)(4), in affordable apprehension of being struck by the transferring motorized vehicle.
That looks like a low bar to clear. Yopp remains to be recovering from her severe accidents. Her sister arrange a GoFundMe to cowl the price of a brand new pedicab in addition to residing bills whereas she heals.
We’ve reached out to the Chicago Police Division and can replace this story if we right here again.