Cyclist accuses fire department employee of causing collision

A woman alleges she suffered injuries after a Chicago fire department employee collided with the bicycle she was riding.

Valentina Vella filed a lawsuit Oct. 10 in Cook County Circuit Court against Sean W. McLean, the Chicago Fire Department and the City of Chicago.

In her complaint, Vella alleges she was riding her bike east in a designated bicycle lane near 200 W. 18th St. in Chicago on Oct. 17, 2013, when defendant McLean, who was driving near the same spot, attempted to turn right and struck her bicycle.

Because of the collision, Vella claims she incurred property damages and suffered personal injuries.  She blames McLean for causing the collision, saying he negligently drove his vehicle so as to form an obstruction, turned from a direct course without signaling, turned when it was not safe to do so and failed to slow or stop to avoid a collision.

In addition to McLean, Vella names the city and its fire department as defendants in her suit. It does not state whether he was driving the vehicle in the course of his duties or if it was owned by the city or the fire department.

She is seeking a judgment of more than $100,000 and is being represented by Brendan H. Kevenides of Freeman Kevenides Law Firm in Chicago.

Cook County District Court case number: 14-L-10593.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.