Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Blown Red Light At Black Road: Cservenyak

JOLIET — Joliet attorney Frank Cservenyak has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a 19-year-old man from Crest Hill, Jacoby Hamilton, in connection with the Feb. 18 overnight collision at Black Road and Infantry Drive, that ended the lives of 65-year-old Walter "Buddy" Kretzler and his 59-year-old wife, Roxane Holt.

The Will County civil lawsuit filing only pertains to the death of Holt, court records reflect. The lawsuit seeks a judgment against the Crest Hill teenager in excess of $75,000.

Hamilton has remained in the Will County Jail since May 3, upon being charged by the Will County State's Attorney's office of Jim Glasgow with five counts of reckless homicide.

This summer, Will County Judge Carmen Goodman rejected Hamilton's efforts to regain his pretrial release under the SAFE-T-Act. For his criminal case, Hamilton is being represented by two downtown Joliet lawyers in private practice, Jerry King and Cosmo Tedone.

According to Cservenyak's lawsuit, Roxane Holt was the passenger as she and her husband headed westbound on Black Road on Feb. 18. Meanwhile, defendant Hamilton was driving north along 129th Infantry Drive near Black Road.

The wrongful death lawsuit accuses Hamilton of:

• Failing to decrease speed to avoid colliding with another vehicle.
• Failing to keep a proper lookout for other vehicles.
• Failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle.
• Failing to stop in time to avoid the collision
• Failing to render aid to people injured in a collision.
• Hamilton is accused of having "operated his motor vehicle with a willful or want disregard for the safety of persons or property," the lawsuit noted.
• Hamilton also failed to stop when faced with the traffic control signal exhibiting a steady red light.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Jacoby Hamilton Taken Into Custody At Will County Jail

Double Fatal At Infantry Drive: Joliet Sues Teenage Driver