Dennis Anderson | Homicide Watch Chicago

Family of Tito Rodriguez files lawsuit over crash on Dan Ryan that killed the off-duty cop

Jeff Mayes — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 09:08:45 -0500

By ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

The family of off-duty Chicago Police officer Tito M. Rodriguez Jr., killed in a crash last year while riding his motorcycle on the Dan Ryan Expressway, has filed a lawsuit against the city.

Dennis Anderson | Chicago Police

Winifred Rodriguez filed the negligence and wrongful death suit Friday in Cook County Circuit Court in connection with the July 20, 2014, death of her son.

Dennis Anderson, then 51, a Cook County Juvenile Detention Center employee, was outbound in the express lanes in his red Pontiac G5 when he tried to make an illegal exit at 71st Street, crossing over a solid white line, through a median and into the local lanes, the Chicago Sun-Times previously reported. He had his sons, ages 13 and 16, in the car at the time.

Tito Rodriguez, a 28-year-old who had been with the Chicago Police Department since May 2013, was on his motorcycle in the local lanes with his friends and co-workers riding behind him.

The off-duty cop tried to hit his brakes in an effort to stop the collision, but his motorcycle hit Anderson’s car, causing Rodriguez to be thrown off his bike and into the air before he landed on the pavement, prosecutors said during Anderson’s bond hearing.

Illinois State Police who arrived on the scene asked Anderson to submit to blood and urine testing but he allegedly refused.

An autopsy performed on Rodriguez indicated he died of multiple injuries, including skull, rib and extremity fractures. The Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled the death an accident.

Anderson, of the 8500 block of South Michigan Avenue, was charged with reckless homicide and was placed on electronic monitoring. His license was suspended as a result of the crash.

The case against Anderson is still pending, according to court records. He is next scheduled to appear for a hearing Aug. 4.

The lawsuit alleges that traffic posts were installed in the center median to control traffic and to deter motorists from moving from the express lanes into the local lanes.

But at the time of the crash, 11 traffic posts were missing, the suit claims.

The city, the suit alleges, carelessly and negligently operated, managed, maintained and controlled the expressway. Cook County is also named as a defendant.

The eight-count suit claims negligence and wrongful death and is seeking an undisclosed amount in damages.

A representative for the city could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

Juvenile Detention Center employee charged with reckless homicide in crash that killed off-duty cop

Michael Lansu — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 16:15:23 -0600

Dennis Anderson / Photo from Cook County Sheriff's office

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A Cook County Juvenile Detention Center employee was placed on electronic monitoring Wednesday for allegedly causing a deadly accident that claimed the life an off-duty Chicago Police officer over the summer.

Dennis Anderson, 51, was initially cited for operating and uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and improper lane usage for the July 20 wreck on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

But after additional investigations revealed that Tito M. Rodriguez Jr. was killed when Anderson tried to make an illegal exit at 71st Street, Anderson was charged with reckless homicide, Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Mack said.

Anderson was traveling south in the express lanes in his red Pontiac G5 with his sons, ages 13 and 16, when he swerved into Rodriguez’s lane that afternoon, Mack said.

Rodriguez, 28, was on his motorcycle in the local lanes with his friends and co-workers riding behind him.
The off-duty cop tried to hit his brakes in an effort to stop the collision after Anderson crossed a solid line and a median separating the local and express lanes, Mack said.

But the motorcycle hit Anderson’s car, causing Rodriguez to be thrown off his motorcycle and into the air before he landed on the pavement, Mack said.

Illinois State Police who arrived on the scene asked Anderson to submit to blood and urine testing but he allegedly refused.

An autopsy performed on Rodriguez indicated he died of multiple injuries, including skull, rib and extremity fractures, Mack said. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death an accident.

Anderson’s license was suspended as a result of the crash.

He previously received supervision for failing to stop at a stop sign in Blue Island in 2013 and was convicted for speeding in Alexander County, Illinois just weeks before Rodriguez’s death.

Anderson’s attorney Robert Willis said his client -- a married father of six -- is a janitorial supervisor in the linen department at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center.

Anderson, of the 8500 block of Michigan Avenue, is also a chairman at a Local School Council and basketball coach at the Beasley Elementary School and Morgan Park High School.

Rodriguez had been with the Chicago Police Department since May 2013.

Off-duty police officer Tito Rodriguez dies in Dan Ryan crash; other driver faces reckless homicide charge

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 14:35:38 -0600

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A Cook County Juvenile Detention Center employee was placed on electronic monitoring Wednesday for allegedly causing a deadly accident that claimed the life of off-duty Chicago Police officer Tito M. Rodriguez over the summer.

Dennis Anderson | Chicago Police

Dennis Anderson, 51, was initially cited for operating an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and improper lane usage for the July 20 crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

But after additional investigation revealed that Rodriguez was killed when Anderson tried to make an illegal exit at 71st, he was charged with reckless homicide, Assistant State's Attorney Robert Mack said.

Anderson was traveling southbound in the express lanes in his red Pontiac G5 with his sons, 13 and 16, when he swerved into Rodriguez's lane that afternoon, Mack said.

Rodriguez, 28, was on his motorcycle in the local lanes with friends and co-workers riding behind him.

The off-duty cop tried to hit his brakes to avoid the collision after Anderson crossed a solid line and median separating the local and express lanes. But the motorcycle hit Anderson's car, causing Rodriguez to be thrown into the air before he landed on the pavement, Mack said.

Illinois State Police who arrived on the scene asked Anderson to submit to blood and urine testing, but he allegedly refused.

An autopsy performed on Rodriguez indicated he died of multiple injuries, including skull, rib and extremity fractures, Mack said.

Anderson's license was suspended as a result of the accident.

He previously received supervision for failing to stop at a stop sign in Blue Island in 2013, and was convicted of speeding in Alexander County, Ill., just weeks before Rodriguez's death.

Anderson's attorney Robert Willis said his client, "a married father of six,” is a janitorial supervisor in the linen department at the juvenile detention center.

Anderson, of the 8500 block of Michigan Avenue, is also chairman of a Local School Council and basketball coach at Beasley Elementary and Morgan Park High schools.

Rodriguez had been with CPD since May 2013.