Hinsdale Car Wash Files For Bankruptcy

HINSDALE, IL – Fuller's Car Wash filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, a year and a half after one of its employees struck and killed a Hinsdale teen with a car.

The filing in federal court lists 20 creditors, with debt totaling $394,476. The largest creditor is the Chicago-based Pretzel & Stouffer law firm; Fuller's is facing several lawsuits related to the crash.

On July 17, 2023, Sean Patrick Richards was walking on the sidewalk in front of Fuller's on Chicago Avenue when the employee driving a car hit him, crossed the street and crashed into Fontano's restaurant, injuring customers. The boy died days later.

In an interview Thursday, the boy's father, Brian Richards, said the bankruptcy filing postpones everything in the lawsuit that he and his wife, Kristine Richards, filed against Fuller's and the then-employee.

He said the 16-year-old employee's deposition was set for Friday, while Fuller's owners Doug Fuller and Susan Groenewold were to be deposed next week.

"Last month, we both sat and answered all of the Fullers' lawyer’s questions under oath, but they are not willing to do the same," Richards said in a statement Thursday. "Why are they so afraid to tell the truth?"

He said he does not know the car wash's motive for the filing.

"While it appears to be to delay questioning under oath, it could also be that they are planning to sell the land under the car wash," Richards said. "We cannot imagine that anyone would buy the property when its owner is a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit with these horrible facts."

Ultimately, Richards said he and his wife were not surprised with the filing, saying they figured the business would seek bankruptcy protection at some point.

"We have engaged sophisticated and experienced bankruptcy counsel and will follow their advice," Richards said.

A person answering Fuller's phone on Thursday morning referred questions to the business' bankruptcy lawyer, David Welch of Chicago's Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella law firm. Welch said he couldn't comment Thursday because he was in federal court for a trial.

Fuller's has not returned Patch's repeated messages since 2023.

In his statement, Richards referred to Fuller's history of crashes going back to 2007. That year, an unlicensed employee drove a car out of the car wash, across the sidewalk and two lanes of traffic, crashing and totaling a parked car.

"Fuller’s was never held accountable for that dangerous incident that, fortunately, did not harm any people," Richards said. "And they took no action after that event to protect the public from a reoccurrence."

In the bankruptcy filing, Fuller's Service Center, which operates Fuller's Car Wash, uses the Hinsdale car wash's address. The Fuller's Car Wash website lists 18 other locations in Chicago and the suburbs.

It's unclear whether the filing affects any of the other places.

During Village Board meetings over the last year, Kristine and Brian Richards and other residents have brought up safety concerns at Fuller's. They pushed for stronger barriers to prevent crashes at Fuller's, which erected barriers that it said were more effective.

Last June, Village President Tom Cauley responded to public comments by saying Fuller's Car Wash would be willing to close permanently if the family ended the litigation.

Cauley said he had spoken with Doug Fuller and that the owner believed the Richards family wanted to shut down the car wash. The village president said the businessman questioned why he should spend upwards of $100,000 if the car wash would then close.

Cauley asked Brian Richards whether his goal was to close Fuller's. Richards said it was.

"(Doug Fuller) told me that they are willing to consider closing down the car wash if you drop your lawsuit," Cauley said. "It seems to me it's entirely within your power to close down that car wash and have something else there."

Richards said he didn't think they should negotiate a lawsuit during a board meeting.

After an investigation into the 2023 crash, local authorities charged the 16-year-old with three traffic violations, but not any criminal offenses. The teen got his driver's license five days before the crash.