The family of a young girl killed in a 2006 hit and run accident has reached a settlement with the city of Lincoln Park in Chicago, IL, regarding the traffic safety conditions that led to 4-year-old Maya Hirsch’s death. In the days leading up to the settlement, the case had become a lightning rod for traffic safety advocates across Lincoln Park and Chicagoland as a whole.
Details of the settlement are not forthcoming at this time. The Hirsch family attorney said that any statement from the family would wait until such time as a joint statement between the family and the city could be reached and released simultaneously. City Law Enforcement officials could not be reached for comment by local news sources for comment at all.
The complaint leveled by the Hirsch family against the city revolved around the traffic safety lights that were in place around the intersection where Maya was struck and killed by a fleeing driver. The Hirsch family’s complaint stated that the traffic safety lights were placed improperly, as well as poorly maintained, both conditions leading to confusion and safety risks for those who used the intersection.
The driver of the car that struck Maya was David Roth, a 57 year old driving instructor with multiple driving offenses on his record. He struck Maya, her sister, and their mother, then drove away from the scene. Onlookers called and pleaded with Roth to stop, but he did not. Police later arrested and incarcerated Roth for an eight year term for leaving the scene of an accident. Roth later died in prison in 2008.
Maya’s family had named Roth’s estate in the lawsuit along with the city of Lincoln Park. The settlement reached includes an accord with the Roth Estate as well, bringing this unhappy saga to a close, hopefully one that will open the city’s eyes about its responsibility to good traffic safety.
