The estate of a man who was killed in a crash in Bloomington last month has filed a lawsuit against the other driver and the van’s owner.
Corey Cottrell, 39, of Normal died when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a van near Main Street and MacArthur Avenue just south of downtown on June 22.
The lawsuit filed in McLean County circuit court by LeRoy attorney Tom Pliura on behalf of Cottrell’s former wife, Violete Hinojosa Cottrell, alleges the van driver, 27-year-old Jose Rodriguez ran a red light, collided with Corey Cottrell and ran over him as he lay on the pavement. Rodriguez then fled the scene, the suit claims.
Cottrell died at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center.
Rodriguez turned himself into Bloomington police the next day. He faces felony charges for allegedly failing to report the accident. He remains jailed in McLean County on a $1 million bond.
The lawsuit also names the van’s owner GR Framing Construction and German Javier Rodriguez as defendants. The lawsuit claims they should have known Rodriguez did not have a valid driver’s license and “was unfit and unqualified to safely operate the vehicle.”
The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages.
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