A 53-year-old Chicago man was charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury after striking a Geneva Police officer in a hit-and-run accident. The 22-year-old officer had been performing a traffic stop in Batavia at the time of the collision.
Bartolo Martinez-Lopez, the driver, was also charged with passing an emergency vehicle causing injury. He could face up to $25,000 in fines and a prison sentence of one to three years if convicted.
In addition to the two felony offenses, Martinez-Lopez is facing misdemeanor counts of leaving the scene of an accident involving vehicle damage, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to render aid in an accident, driving an uninsured vehicle and driving with a suspended license.
The officer had been standing by a vehicle he had pulled over for a traffic violation when Martinez-Lopez drove past in a 2011 Volkswagen minivan and struck his left elbow. The officer fell down due to the impact.
Martinez-Lopez slowed down at first but then continued driving away from the scene of the accident. The officer was taken to a Geneva hospital for evaluation and later released. Authorities arrested Martinez-Lopez after finding his minivan parked outside a Batavia business.
Anyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle has a responsibility to follow the rules of the road. Failure to do so can lead to crashes that cause serious injuries. If you have been injured in a hit-and-run accident or other type of auto accident, speak to a lawyer at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg right away about your right to pursue compensation.