Lawsuit settled against La Grange teen allegedly driving 70 mph on 55th Street in Western Springs 4-vehicle crash

Oct. 10--The father of a 7-year-old girl who was injured in a car crash in Western Springs last year has reached a settlement with the 20-year-old driver of the car who faces felony charges of aggravated reckless driving.

Western Springs police reported Alex L. Janicki of La Grange, then 19, was driving more than 70 mph in a BMW 650I convertible on 55th Street when it struck a 2011 Toyota Corolla, which subsequently spun out of control and hit two other vehicles at about 1 p.m. July 14, 2018.

Zaid Shakir's 7-year-old daughter, Noor, was in the Corolla, which was waiting to turn left from westbound 55th onto Woodland Avenue.

Noor was transported by helicopter from Hinsdale Hospital to Lurie's Children's Hospital, where she spent eight days, Shakir's attorney, Michael Sorich, said.

Three other people were injured in the crash, police said. The speed of the BMW played a significant role in the accident, police said.

Shakir sued both Janicki and his father, Richard Janicki, owner the 2008 BMW, for negligence.

In July, a Cook County judge approved a $100,000 settlement to Shakir, which was the full amount of the Janickis' insurance coverage, Sorich said.

Alex Janicki was a state champion gymnast for Lyons Township High School in 2015 and on LTHS's gymnastic team which finished second in the state in 2017. He pleaded not guilty in October 2018 to the aggravated reckless driving charges. His next court date is Oct. 17 in the Cook County Courthouse in Bridgeview.

Janicki could not be reached for comment.

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