lake county il coroner's inquest, christina j. pratt, 10/29/92
TRANSCRIPT
STATE OF ILLINOIS )
) SS: COUNTY OF L A K E )
BEFORE THE CORONER OF LAKE COUNTY
IN THE MATTER OF THE )
1 INQUEST ON THE BODY OF 1
1 CHRISTINA J. PRATT, 1
1 Deceased. )
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS had before
James Wipper, Chief Deputy Coroner for the County of
Lake and State of Illinois, on October 29, 1992,
A.D., at the Lake County Building, Tenth Floor
Assembly Room, Waukegan, Illinois, commencing at the
hour of 11:50 o'clock a.m., pursuant to notice.
JURORS :
Robert A. Vinnedge Sharon 0 . Ahlemeyer Joseph J. Contrera Dean J. Jordan Sandra J. Niemietz Alvera M. Shelton
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAM, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury, witnesses, and others present,
this is an inquest into the manner and cause of death
of Christina J. Pratt, age 18, late of 17479 Dartmoor
Avenue, Grayslake, Illinois, who was the victim/driver
of a single-vehicular incident that occurred on
September 7th, 1992, at 12:45 a.m. on Route 43 at
intersection with Route 41 in Park City, Lake County,
Illinois. The victim was transported to St. Therese
Medical Center, Waukegan, in Lake County, ~ l l i n o i s ,
where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room at
1:57 a.m. on September 7th, 1992, by Dr. Savage,
emergency room physician. The victim was then
transported to the Lake County Coroner's Facility,
Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, for further
examination.
I'm going to ask the following people to
please stand where they are and ra.ise their right hand.
James Leding and Roger Barrette.
(Witnesses sworn. 1
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: I'm going to ask
Officer Leding to step forward and please have a seat
to my left.
For the benefit of the jury, a diagram
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL (708) 623-7580
has been passed out for your reference.
I'm also going to ask if there are any
family members to please remain seated and identify
yourself.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: I'm Carol Spizzirri. I am t.he
mother of Christina.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: All right.
MR. PRATT: I'm Gordon Pratt and I am
Christina's father.
I THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Are there any
attorneys present? If so --
MR. GARRIGAN: Yes. Counsel for Mrs.
Spizzirri, Michael S. Garrigan, G-a-r-r-i-g-a-n
much.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Thank you very
Let me remind you that this is neither a
civil nor a criminal trial procedure, merely an inquest
into the manner and cause of the death of this young
woman.
J A M E S L E D I N G ,
called as a witness herein by the Coroner, having heen
first duly sworn, took the stand and testified as
follows, to-wit:
3
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
Q. Would you please tell the ladies and gentlemen
of the jury what your investi.gation disclosed.
A . Upon our arrival we found one single female
white victim from this accident, She was laying in the
northbound lanes of Route 41 right at the merge' from
Route 43. We requested a rescue for her and I began
the accident investigation.
We viewed the scene and what appeared
happened was the vehicle was traveling northbound on
Route 43, right tires went up onto the raised curbing
on the right side of the -- right side of the road
right at the merge, at which time the vehicle came
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
- E X A M l N A T l O M
by the Chief Deputy Coroner:
Q. Would you please state your name, age, and
occupation, please.
A . Yes. My name is James Leding, L-e-d-i-n-g, 30
years old. I am a patrolman for the City of Park City.
Q. Officer Leding, did you and members of the
Park City Police Department investigate a
single-vehicular incident that occurred on September
7th, 1992, at 12:45 a.m. on Route 43 at intersection
with Route 41 in Park City, Lake County, Illinois?
A. Yes, I did.
down, crossed over the merging lane onto the gravel
section. After this had occurred the vehicle went into
a broad slide and began to roll.
5 2 . Officer, I'm going to stop you for one second,
The jurors have a copy of the diagram. Could you
possibly refer to it? Because I see you've got some
letters there,
A . Sure.
Q. That might be of help to the jury.
A. Okay. What I am referring to, when the
vehicle went up onto the curbing would be letters "A"
and "B" on the right-hand side of the diagram. The
vehicle then crossed over the merging lane to letters
"D" and "C" where it went off the road and began to go
into a broad slide where it ended at Point G . The
vehicle then began to roll. The first mark of the roll
would be letter "H."
From what we believe the vehicle rolled
at least two to three times during whi-ch time we
believe the victim was ejected from the vehicle where
she came to rest on the roadway and the vehicle t,hen
continued off onto the grassy center median.
Q. From the -- maybe if I could clarify this a
little bit for the jury. The vehicle was traveling
5
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
northboun.d, went off on the right-hand side, "A" and
l1B"?
A. Correct.
Q - Then crossed back over to "C" and "D"?
A. Correct.
Q. Okay. Can you tell us approximately from,
let's say, distance -- the length of distance from "A"
t.o "S"? Is that -- "S" would be the final resting spot
of the vehicle?
A. Correct. If -- it would be approximately 4 0 0
feet.
Q. Okay. In your -- through your
investigation -- I don't know if this would be
pertaining to you or maybe Deputy Barrette, but during
your investigation were you able to determine an
approximate speed?
A. NO, we were not.
Q. Okay. Okay. You can continue then.
A. Excuse me. We then began the investigation of
the vehicle, normal search to make sure there were no
other victims in the vehicle, which there were not. We
noted at the time that there was an extremely strong
odor of an alcoholic beverage inside the vehicle. We
also noticed there were several unopened beer cans
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L (708) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
inside the vehicle and an empty case along the same
brand of beer of the cans that were in the vehicle.
Also, the stereo in the vehicle was turned up almost to
full volume. I myself had to turn it off to hear when
I initially got to the scene.
After that we photographed and measured
the scene, went to St. Therese Hospital, and we spoke
to the doctor on duty who advised us that she had been
pronounced dead at St. Therese Hospital from major
internal injuries and head injuries.
Q. Basicall,y, at the time -- at the time you
arrived -- first of all, how did you get the initial
call? How was your department notified?
A . We were notified by telephone. I'm not sure
exactly who the caller was. We were advised of an
accident with unknown injuries on northbound Route 41
in front of Marquardt Olds, which is the same general
vicinity .
Q. Okay, Were you able to speak with any
witnesses to the accident?
A. There was one subject who was on the scene.
He stated that.he did not see the entire accident. All
he did was saw the vehicle come to rest. and he found
the victim on the roadway. He saw the vehicle rolling
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
to a stop into the grassy median and found the person
on the roadway.
Q. Did he state to you where he was coming from?
What direction?
A. No, he did not.
Q. Okay. When you arrived, was he the only
individual on the scene or were there others?
A. There were numerous other motorists that had
seen the body on the roadway and had stopped to offer
assistance. There was one other subject who stated to
me that he did witness the accident, but prior to my
being able to talk to him, he did leave the scene. He
never gave a name or anything like that or a vehicle
description.
Q. Okay. So at this point in time, you did not
actually talk to a witness who basically saw the entire
accident?
A . Correct.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: I'm going to excuse
you for the time being. If you can remain seated here.
Let me ask Deputy Barrette to step forward.
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, 11, ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
R O G E R B A R R E T T E ,
called as a witness herein by the Coroner, having been
first duly sworn, took the stand and testified as
follows, to-wit:
- E X A M L N A T L O N
by the Chief Deputy Coroner:
Q . If you could please state your name, age, and
occupation, please.
A. Yes. Roger Barrette, age 30, deputy sheriff
with Lake County Sheriff's Department.
& . Mr. Barrette, were you and the Lake County
Sheriff's Office involved in an investigation regarding
a single-vehicular incident that occurred on
September 7th, 1992 at 12:45 a.m. on Route 43 at
intersection with Route 41 in Park City, Lake County,
Illinois?
A. Yes, we were.
Q . For the benefit of the ladies and gentlemen of
the jury, could you please advise them what your
investigation disclosed.
A. Yes. 1 was mainly called to the scene to
assist Officer Leding in this accident. I got there.
I spoke to Officer Leding. He went through the
accident scene with me and asked if 1 would phot-ograph
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAM, IL (708) 623-7580
it. My main concern was that to photograph the
accident, which I did do while Officer Leding performed
his investigation.
Once that was completed Officer Leding
then came up to me and told me his opinion on how the
accident happened, which has been related to you, and
it was -- it was also consistent with the facts on
the -- that were left on the road; that this is the way
the accident happened. And it was about that time that
I then went to St. Therese Hospital, also.
Q. Okay. Basically, from -- as Officer Leding
had testified, the vehicle from the time it left the
roadway until the time it came to rest traveled
approximately 400 feet. Would you concur with that?
A. Yes.
&. Okay. And in your background, is it possible
to give an estimate of a possible speed at that time?
A . Yes, it is.
Q. Okay. Do you have any opinions based upon the
physical evidence on the speed that the vehicle may
have been traveling prior to the accident?
A. Such an opinion would require that I do an
accident reconstruction in this and which I did not do.
However, based on my experience I would not say that it
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAIJKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
would be in the realm of a high rate of speed; that it
would be consistent with a 50, 55 miles an hour speed
on her part.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. Maybe if 1
could refer this to Officer Leding. What was the speed
limit in that area?
OFFICER LEDING: That I'm not sure. We did
mark it down in the field notes. I'm not sure if it
was transferred over to the original report. It is
marked as a slower area because of the merge.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. Would that
be -- Deputy Barrette feels that the speed of the
vehicle may have been 50 to 55. Do you feel that that
merge would have been a lesser speed?
OFFICER LEDING: Yes, I do.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. Officer
Leding, also, could you tell us what the weather and
road conditions were at that time?
OFFICER LEDING: If I could refer to my
accident report for a moment.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Yes.
OFFICER LEDING: It was clear and dry at this
time. The roadway surface was dry. The weather was
clear. Nothing that would -- there was no materials on
11
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, T L (7081 623-7580
the roadway that would be a detriment. to driving at the
time.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury, do you have any questions of
these witnesses?
A JUROR: Does anybody know where she was
coming from?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: Yes. We did a background,
I spoke to several witnesses in regards to this. The
evening, as far as we could trace it back, started
around 8:00, 8 : 3 0 that evening when she met with a
bunch of friends in Gurnee. From there she went back
to her house with her friends. She was alone at the
house at this time. Her mother and other children
which she lived with had gone on vacation in Florida.
While there they -- I believe they had a
party where they did consume alcohol. This was
evidenced by open beer cans, bagfuls of beer cans,
other stuff like munchies, box cases, and stuff that
were all stacked on the back deck of the house as well
as a stereo that was out in the deck. So there was
evidence that there had been some type of a party.
Whether it's large or small, I don't know.
At approximately a little before midnight
1 2
L&L R E P O R T I N G S E R V I C E WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
the party or the people departed the house and went to
the Avalon restaurant. They all sat down. They were
given menus, and it was about quarter after midnight
then Christina stood up and said to the -- said to her
friends I'm going to go out for a drive. She then got
up, went into her car, and that was the last they seen
her, and the accident happened approximately half hour
later.
I believe she told her friends, also,
that she was going to be back in about a half hour,
which is possibly where she may have been heading to at
the time. I believe -- I've learned through talking to
some people that she had just started to -- was able to
start driving this vehicle legally, and I would say it
wouldn't be out of the realm that she was just driving
around maybe just to be driving around enjoying the
night, enjoying music, everything else like that. I
don't think she had a specific destination in mind and
none that our investigation revealed either.
A JUROR: Is that intersection lighted?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: Do you want to answer?
OFFICER LEDING: No, it's not. It's just a
simple merge.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: What would have
13
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7589
it have been heavy traffic or do you know?
I OFFICER LEDING: At that -- usually at that
time on a Sunday night it's usually medium traffic.
It's not real heavy; it's not real light. You get
mainly the travelers are heading home from the weekend,
heading either back into Milwaukee or the Wisconsin
area or heading back into Chicago, in that area.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: This w a s like a
Sunday night/Monday morning type thing?
OFFICER LEDING: Correct.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: I have some pictures if
you'd like to distribute them.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Sure.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, do you
have any other questions?
(No response.)
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: I'll excuse the two
of you. If you'd please remain in the room in case
there are any further questions.
I have one further question before you
leave. Officer Leding testified to the fact in his
I opinion he believes that based upon his investigation / the vehicle rolled approximately two to three times.
I I
L & L REPOR.TIMG SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
Do you concur with that? Do you have any different
opinions, Deputy Barrette?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: No. That would be
consistent with that. That's about the rate the
vehicle will roll is about that many times. I have no
problem with that.
A JUROR: Can I ask a question? I see a mark
here on the road in your picture. Would that be one of
the roll marks of the car?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: That mark was caused by the
vehicle. When it started to come onto the road from
the ditch, it started to travel broadside. While it
started to travel broadside, the tire is still
rotating. As well as rotating, it's starting to also
side slip. When it does that, it leaves those
customary marks in the roadway. Right about where they
end then is the -- is the point then where the vehicle
probably was tripped up and started its roll.
A JUROR: Okay. Thank you. And that would
correspond with his mark then on his map at what point?
OFFICER LEDING: "E," the letter "E."
A JUROR: Those are what those little lines
indicate?
OFFICER LEDING: Correct.
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGRN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
A JUROR: Okay.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. I'll excuse
you for the time being. Thank you.
I will then give the Coroner's report.
On September 7th at 2:18 a.m. I was notified by St.
Therese Hospital of the death of Christina Pratt in
their emergency room. I arrived at three o'clock a.m.
and was met by Officer Leding and Deputy Barrette who
basically related to me the circumstances they have
related to you.
Part of our investigation was to do a
toxicological analysis. Prior to that as during
treatment in the hospital, a blood alcohol level was
performed by St. Therese Hospital, and their testing
shows that at the time that Christina was in the
emergency room she had a blood al.coho1 of a -176
percent.
We did some further testing on specimens
that we obtained and we tested for ethanol,
barbiturates, stimulants, and for tranquilizers, and w e
found that during our testing Christina had a blood
alcohol of .I63 percent. The difference i n those
levels would be from the treatment that she received
being J V fluids, blood transfusion, things of that
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
nature, which would tend to dilu.te her blood and cause
us to get a lower blood alcohol level.
In the State of Illinois, the legal limit
of intoxication for a driver in the state is .I00
percent. At the time of the accident Christina was
legally intoxicated.
During my examination I found that she
sustained a lot of damage to the Left side,
particularly her upper shoulder area, upper arm,
forearm area. She sustained a very extensive injury to
that portion of her body. She also sustained a
depressed skull fracture to the back part of her head,
Due to these injuries it is the opinion of the Lake
County Coroner's Office that Christina came to her
death as a result of multiple traumatic injuries due to
blunt force trauma due to the single vehicle roll-over.
It is hard to -- during the investi.gation
it was found that Christina was not wearing a seat
belt, and due to the vehicle rolling over it's hard to
determice exactly how her injuries came about. At. what
point did she come out of the vehicle, it's difficult
to determine that.
But we have some factors fl~re that, she
had had the vehicle for about a week so she was
17
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAIJKEGAN, JL (708) 623-7580
somewhat unfamiliar with the vehicle. She had a blood
alcohol level. As Officer Ledi-ng testified, that the
radio was, you know, very l.oud. So we can't rule out
the fact that she may have been trying to adjust the
radio in some way. At this point because there are no
witnesses we cannot rule out that possibly an animal.
could have been involved. So there are some things
that unfortunately without any clear-cut witnesses that
we'll never have answers to.
Do the ladies and gentlemen of the jury
have any questions?
(No response.)
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Mrs. Spizzirri or
PIr. Garrigan, do you have anything?
MR. GARRIGAN: I have a question for Qfficer
Barrette. T S there anything based on your
investigation which would rule out -- categoricall-y
rule out the possibility of M i s ; Pratt hitting another
car, a collision with another car?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: Yes. Yes, there ii .
MR. GARRIGAN: What is that?
DEPUTY BARRETTE: It's clear-cut that no other
impact occurred with another vehicle. If an impact
would have occurred with another vehicle, w e w u u i d
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL (708) 623-7580
expect different areas of damage, and the areas of
damage that we looked at on the vehicle was the right
front sustained some damage. That was primarily the
only area that sustained any damage.
This damage was very consistent with a
vehicle roll-over, and since the vehicle was first
tripped up led by the driver's side, a vehicle doesn't
roll. nicely as a pencil or something round. A vehicle
is tripped up so it would go into the air and most
likely land on the driver's side. When it landed on
the driver's side, it did this damage to the roof and
to the vehicle.
The direction of force was examined under
this area, and it showed that it would be consistent
with a downward type of a force being exerted on the
vehicle whereas if Christina would have struck another
vehicle we would expect then a force to be applied
rearward on this vehicle. There was no force component
that was observed in the damage result that would
support that kind of a force being exerted. Therefore,
it was ruled out then that she struck anything else.
Also, the marks that we observed on the
west shoulder of the road, being the yaw mark into the
gravel, was consistent with a vehicle that is basically
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
broad sliding and is going into a yaw. So it is
possible that she could have struck another vehicle and
rotated around like that, but what we would expect then
would not be a yaw mark. We would expect more of a
mark that we would refer to as radius gyration; in
other words, that that vehicle is now rotating around
the damage centroid of where it hit another vehicle.
So its radius would be a lot, lot sharper.
This was not a sharp radius. This was
very gradual and pretty straight, straightforward. So
anything along that line would be ruled out about
anything of her striking another vehicle either from
the front and again there was no damage observed in the
back so we know she wasn't rear ended or pushed off the
road.
MR. GARRIGAN: Officer Leding, at the time of
the accident, did you speak to any witnesses at that
time who basically observed another damaged car; more
specifically, a black Cadillac with driver's side
damage?
OFFICER LEDING: No, I did not.
MR. GARRIGAN: I have no further questions.
MS. SPIZZJRRI: I would like to ask Officer
Leding about the truck that was there with the
Ll&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUREGAM, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
spotlight.
OFFICER LEDING: Yes, ma'am.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: Yes. What about the truck
that was there that had two people in it that swear
that there was a truck there that left the scene?
OFFICER LEDING: Yes, ma'am. There was a
pickup truck from another subject who had stopped to
assist. Correct.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: I would like to know why he
didn't question this gentleman because he had been
there for some time. Even at the time that the
ambulance was taking my daughter, he -- that truck was
still there.
OFFICER LEDING: Yes, ma'am. If you remember
my testimony, I did speak with one subject who was
there. That was the subject who saw the vehicle coming
to a rest in the grassy median that did not see the
complete accident.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: No, sir. You had said that
the person that assisted -- that came up, that person
i.s from Kenosha, and he assisted in Christina's first
aid treatment, and you didn't even ask him any
questions, Why didn't you ask him questions? All you
told him was leave her alone; she's dead anyhow. That
21
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAM, i L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
is what -- that's what he said.
OFFICER LEDING: No, ma'am. Ma'am, I spoke to
him. He was the witness that told me that he did not
see the complete accident.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: That.'s correct,
OFFICER LEDING: That he saw the vehicle
rolling to a stop and saw the victim laying in the
road.way.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: That is correct. Bu.t he did
not have a pickup truck. The truck that I am t.alking
about was up the road a bit, and this gentleman that
came out of that truck had a spotlight which was
witnessed by the man who gave Christina first aid from
Kenosha and also a gentleman who lives across the
street who witnessed the accident and who had called
your department on a couple occasions and nobody
asked -- asked him to come in and give any testiwr1on.y.
I'd like to know why all the witnesses that were at the
scene were not questioned, not one, even when they came
to you and assisted -- wanted to give you some
information.
OFFICER. LEDING: Ma'am, I can't testify on
what I don't remember,
1 DEPUTY BARRETTE: If you will, when I gat
2 2
Lj&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUREGAN, IL (708) 623-7580
there, there was basically, I think, three people
there. A gentleman in an 18-wheeler who had parked
down the road, there was a black gentleman there who
was in the pickup truck, and there was the white
gentleman who was in another smaller vehicle, These
were the three people that were present. All three of
them were spoken to.
The gentleman in the 18-wheeler was -- I
believe had a flashlight in his hand. Me was parked up
the road. He said he did not witness the accident. He
came much more time after everybody else. The other
two people had arrived there and basically blocked the
road for the victim who was laying in the road. The
other two witnesses there heard him state this
conversation that occurred. The gentleman and the semi
truck was then released.
The gentleman who was the first one there
who rendered first aid to the victim we did get his
name and his name is in the report. We did speak to
him. That is the gentleman that did not witness the
accident but seen the accident go into the -- into the
ditch. The black gentleman, he said he came after --
after the white guy and he did not see the accident at
all. All three of these people were spoken to at the
2 3
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
scene.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: At the time that I spoke with
the witness that administered first aid to Christina at
the scene, he had witnessed a truck and another vehicle
ahead of him. That's why he stopped because he didn't
know what had happened and he came closing up on these
vehicles that had stopped. He said at the time he came
up to Christina's body or her other -- her being on the
road there were at least five to six people standing
there around her, and he started administering first
aid to her.
I asked him when he did -- when did
Officer Leding get there, and he had indicated that it
was several minutes before he had gotten there, and I
said, well, what did he do at the time he had gotten
there, and he said he stood there and he waited until
the ambulance came. And I said did he help you in
assisting in first aid. He said no, in fact, what he
told me to do is step back away from the body; she's
dead anyway. And he said that he had told you -- and
he'll swear to it -- that as long as this child has a
heartbeat, a pulse, and she's breathing normally
there's always hope. And you said you have seen enough
accidents to realize that she would be dead anyway. He
L&L REPORTING S E R - V I C E WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
continued his first aid treatment.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: That is not what he related
to us at the scene. He related to us at the scene that
he was pretty much the first one there. He said he
rolled the victim over, saw that she was breathing, and
he did not supply her with m0ut.h to mouth nor did he
supply her with CPR, but basically left her on her side
and comforted her at that point.
No first aid was issued by myself or
Officer Leding as we are not trained nor certified in
first aid. Anything that we may do to that person to
render first aid may be more harmful than it would be
good. As such, we leave that to the professionals who
respond to the field and render the first aid. So it
then becomes not our responsibility of rendering first
aid.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: That's correct.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: I don't believe that Officer
Leding nor did myself ever tell this person that we
believed this person is dead because we viewed a lot of
accidents. I just think that something --
MS. SPIZZIRRI: He did not indicate you. He
indicated Officer Leding, who was the first person on
the scene prior to you coming to the scene. That is
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAIJKEGAN, T L (708) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
what he had indicated. He also said that Christina had
stopped breathing momentarily. He stuck his two
fingers down her throat to clear out the passage, and
at that time the blood started coming from her mouth.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: Yes, and likewise --
MS. SPIZZIRRI: And she started breathing on
her own again.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: Then again, she could have
died. She could have aspirated on her own blood. That
could have been more harmful than good. $
MS. SPIZZIRRI: At the time the paramedics got
to her, she was still breathing on her own. Not until
en route to the hospital did she have a --
DEPUTY BARRETTE: It is apparent that anything
we did at the scene or anything that this witness may
have done at the scene was helpful for her. There
wasn't nothing more I could have done or Officer Leding
could have done or anybody else could have done.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: I'm directing this basically
to Officer Leding. I want to know why he did what he
did and told this witness that he should let her alone.
I also would like to know why the Lake
County -- I'm of the understanding that Lake County
Sheriff's Department have been trained in first aid and
L&L REPORTING SER-VICE WRUKEGAN, J L (708) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
in Park City have been trained in first aid. Some sort
of pressure applied to the areas that she was bleeding
profusely on her arm would have caused some stoppage of
flow of the blood that she could have used for the rest
of her body. If you are bleeding from two areas, say
if you have a pressure point to stop the flow of blood
at another pressure point, you are bleeding to death
basically.
I don't think that much care was given to
the patient. I think more care was contributed to the
open cans of alcohol which 3 checked out myself. Yes,
I agree the car did reek of alcohol, but I also under
my investigation noticed that the cans of beer that
were unopened in the car were punctured which would
have released the alcohol beverage into the car and the
car floor.
I also noted a lot of other things as to
how her arm could have been torn because the car window
had not been totally down and the glass was still
halfway up into the grooves of the window, So I could
understand how that -- I do have nursing background. I
can handle a lot of things like this, and even though
it's my daughter, I still have my faculties.
As a stander-by and officer of -- that
LI&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 1 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
does t-his type of -- or supposed to be doing this type
of procedure not to offer a person who is on his way
home from Illinois some assistance and support, I can't
understand that, though.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: By the same token, ma'am, I
have a question for you. Why is it that your
18-year-old daughter was driving around with twice the
legal intoxication limit while you're in Florida and
having a party at. her house?
MR. GARRIGAN: I object to the question.
That's beyond the scope. That's personal. That's not
called for. Come on.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Let me get to the
issue here. Officer Leding, are you trained as a
paramedic or EMT?
OFFICER LEDING: No, I am not.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Do you have -- are
you certified in any type of first aid at all?
OFFICER LEDING: No, I am not.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. I think that
would answer that question.
Now, as far as the witness, we're taking
someone's statement to you, Mrs. Spizzirri, and he also
made a statement to the police officers, and obviously,
LI&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, 11-1 ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
we are looking at two different statements. Now, that
witness is not here to make that statement. In the
course of invest-igation things can be changed. People
say things to different people because -- whether or
not they intend them or whatever. I have found that
very common during, you know, my years of experience in
investigating situations like this.
Now, whether or not, you know, what he
told the police officers or what he told you, it's hard
to say, you know, which story is true. You know, if
anything was -- you know, did he inflate any of the
testimony? It's hard to say. But both officers have
testified that they did speak with this wi.tness, and
his name is on the report. Now, why, you know, what he
told you and what he told the police officers, you
know, I can't -- you know, we can't, you know, say, you
know, actually which is true or what was actually said-
So I have to treat that as hearsay, you know, right
now.
MS. SPIZZIRRI: I would like to answer this
officer from Lake County who asked me why I was in
Florida while my daughter was driving around with
alcohol in her. As a parent, as -- I don't know if any
of you are, but I have two other daughters, and I think
2 9
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
I have the right once i.n ten years to go with my other
daughters to Florida. And my other daughter,
Christina, had to work and go to school, and that is
the reason I was separated from her. If that answers
your question. I hope it never happens to you.
DEPUTY BARRETTE: No, it doesn't answer my
question. I hope it doesn't happen to me either.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: I'm going to now
excuse the questions by Mr. Garrigan and Mrs. Spizzirri
and I'm going to give Mr. Pratt an opportunity -- do
you have any questions, sir, or --
MR. PRATT: Yes, sir. I think I can clarify
quite a few misconceptions here that are being stated,
and first off, I'd like to tell the jury that I'm very
impressed with the way Lake County afficials have taken
care of the whole situation. I am her father, and I
have had all police reports. I've done my own
investigation like any father or family member would
do, and I am completely 100 percent satisfied with
everybody's actions involved here.
And I would also like to state because
I'm from Wisconsin and I had the misconception as
probably most Wisconsinite people do that they think
( that people from Illinois are all cold and calloused
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, I L (708) 623-7580
and non-caring. I found the complete opposite with
everybody down here. Every official has been kind,
courteous, and professional, and I was very impressed
with everybody down here.
And in getting to -- in getting to
Officer Roger Barrette's question, it is a very good
question. It is a legitimate question, and I have much
evidence to present that Mr. Roger -- Officer Roger
Barrette of the Lake County Sheriff's Department had
all the right in the world to ask Mrs. Spizzirri the
question what was she doing in Florida with the rest of
her family when she had a child that just turned 18 and
was given free run of the home, whom was told by me --
and it is 100 percent documented and i,t is documented
with a transcript -- a transcript -- excuse me -- and a
tape that I have furnished to coroner -- Mr. Wipper,
and he had -- that was a transcript and a tape of
incoming calls to my phone number on the night my
daughter died.
I had Officer Roger Barrette call me, I
had a family friend call me, and Milwaukee Police
Department called me. And why it was recorded is
because I have an answering machine at my place, and on
that particular night I didn't get up when the phone
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAM, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
rang because my answering machine is set at night --
sometimes I set it that it answers my phone either
within one ring or two so that I am not bothered with
getting up. And that is why I -- I had a tape of that
complete conversation and the incoming calls to me.
See, that would -- that tape can always be viewed by --
that is in the file, right, Mr. Wipper?
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: That's-correct,
Let me just clarify Mr. Pratt's statement. After the
death occurred I met with Officer Barrette and Officer
Leding at the emergency room. One of our jobs -- one
of our tasks at that point is to try to notify the next
of kin.
We had no family members at the hospital
at that time. We were able to track down a neighbor of
Christina Pratt who gave us the information that Mrs.
Spizzirri was on vacation in Florida, but could not
furnish us with an address or telephone number. But
she was able to provide us with Mr. Pratt's phone
number in Milwaukee so Mr. Pratt was actually the first
relative that we could notify, and in fact, we had
Milwaukee police go to his residence to notify him in
person; and even prior to the police coming to his
door, he bad already received a phone call from Mrs.
L & L R.EPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
Spizzirri in Florida. She had already been notified by
some other friends.
After the incident occurred, you know,
there were a lot of young kids that were informed of it
and word got around very fast. So even before we were
able to obtain the whereabouts of Mrs. Spizzirri in
Florida she was notified via telephone by a friend.
MR. PRATT: And if I could ask you a question,
Mr. Wipper, on that tape which my wife was -- my
ex-wife -- excuse me -- was on that tape, Mrs.
Spizzirri, and of course, everybody has got very heavy
emotions at a time like this, and so we overlook things
t.hat are said or not said. Rut my memory doesn't fail
me in the fact that -- I'm only asking you to concur
that this was said by Mrs. Spizzirri on the tape.
She yelled at me accusing me that it was
my fault because I bought my daughter, Christina, the
car. She also stated in a screaming voice that -- she
yelled over and over I told you our daughter was an
alcoholic. I told you she had a drinking problem. You
never listened to me. You always think your daughter
can do whatever she wants to do. Well, now, your
daughter is dead. So now, here is a woman that is now
yelling at me and stating a fact that she has to1.J
L & L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, 11.1 ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
me -- past tense -- that my daughter has a drinking
problem. She has stated that my daughter is an
alcoholic. Those were her words.
So why does a loving mot-her leave a child
at home for the first time in her life to have complete
run of a home that is known to be supposedly -- I will
get into this -- but supposedly an alcoholic. I don't
know this at firsthand knowledge because I have not
been with my child. My children, all minor children,
were stolen from me from the state of Wisconsin. I was
divorced. I divorced Mrs. Spizzirri in 1981. My
children became a ward of the State of Wisconsin and,
therefore -- and T have all documentation which just at
this time --
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Mr. Pratt, if you
could -- if you could -- you know, we don't really have
a lot of time.
MR. PRATT: I just want to put it up there.
MR. GARRIGAN: I object to this testimony.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: If you have
anything more relevant to add --
MR. PRATT: Yes, I do.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay.
MR. PRATT: If I could put some things on that
L&L REPORTING S E R V I C E WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
blackboard there.
MR. GARRIGAN: I object to his testimony.
It's hearsay and it's detrimental to my client,
MR. PRATT: This is court documents. It's not
hearsay.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: What I will do
is -- I don't wan.t to take any of the jury's time. I
ca'n let them look at it during cleliheration. We can
have it available for them. Whatever you would like to
leave, we can have it available for them during their
deliberation.
MR. PR.ATT: Okay. That is fair.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay. Is there
anything -- you know, whatever you'd like to leave,
that's fine. Is there anything else -- I want to try
to be fair and give everyone equal amount of time, but
we are kind of limited here. So is there anything else
you would like to add?
MR. PRATT: I would like to add that when you
do deliberate, my daughter was a very positive girl.
But when you see some of the stuff that I leave behind
here, you will find out that she is a child who went
through hell so that she could get to heaven. You used
the word "blunt trauma" that made my daughter finally
L & L R.EPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
demise. My daughter has had blunt trauma her entire
life since the day I divorced Mrs, Spizzirri.
MR. GARRIGAN: Again, I object. Again, this
is hearsay. This is --
MR. PR.ATT: This is not hearsay. There's
doctor's evidence, Her nose was broken twice, once by
her stepfather and once by Mrs. Spizzirri, and that is
legally recorded that the nose was repaired twice; that
the child has been abused, child abuse for her whole
life, and you are not going to object.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY COROMER: Mr. Pratt, please.
MR. PRATT: I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Okay.
MR. PRATT: I'm sorry.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY COROMER: Is that all?
MR. PRATT: That --
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: You say you have
documentation.
MR. PRATT: Yes.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Like I say, we will
have that available for the jury so they will have the
opportunity to look at that.
Did you have a question, sir?
A JUROR: It wasn't a question. Tt was just a
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAW, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
/ statement. I think it is a matter of taking something
that's probably painful to a lot of people and using
I this forum as a way to air out grievances. The fact is
t.hat your daughter passed away and I don't think there
is anybody in this courtroom that wanted t.hat t-o
happen. I don't think your ex-wife or anybody else
feels that this was something that was mean.t to happen.
It was an accident and nobody intended it to happen,
and I think the fact that the past that you're bringing
up and differences that you're airing out with your
wife don't belong here. That's all I'm going to say in
regards to that.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Thank you.
Mr. Pratt, I'm going to --
I MR. PRATT: Sure, I understand.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Thank you very
much.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, then
1 this will conclude the evidence available in this
inquest. It will now be your duty to deliberate your
findings and, if possible, arrive at. a verdict as to
1 the cause of death, whether you deem i.t to be
accidental, suicidal, homicidal, whether or not blame
I should be placed on the part of anyone concerned. When
37
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAIJKEGAN, 1L ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
you have reached a verdict, report to me, Chief Deputy
Coroner of Lake County, State of Illinois.
I will ask the jury to please remain in
this room and deliberate i-n private, I will have to
ask everyone else to please leave the room.
(Jury retires.!
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?
THE JURY: Yes, we have.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY COR.ONER: I'll read the
verdict of the jury. It states:
3 8
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, IL ( 7 0 8 ) 6 2 3 - 7 5 8 0
X E R I L L C - T
We, the undersigned Jurors, sworn to
inquire into the death of Christina Jean Pratt, on
oath, do find that she came to her death on
I September 7th, 1.992, at 1:57 a.m. at St. Therese Medical Center Emergency Roam, Waukegan, in Lake
County, Illinois. We find that her death was due to
I multiple traumatic injuries due to blunt force trauma which was a result of a single-vehicle roll-over that
I occurred on September 7th, 1992, at 12:45 a.m. on Route 43 at intersection with Route 41 in park City,
Lake County, Illinois. From the evidence presented we,
the Jury, believe that the manner of her death to be
I (Signed by six Jurors.)
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: This verdict is
signed by Sharon 0 . Ahlemeyer, foreman, and five
additional members of the jury.
Is this your true and final verdict?
THE JURY: Yes, it is.
THE CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER: Then this will
I conclude the inquest into the manner and cause of death of Christina Jean Pratt, Thank you.
I 3 9
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAN, TL (708) 623-7550
STATE OF ILLINOIS )
SS: COUNTY OF L A R E )
Notary Public, Lakg County, IL
1
L&L REPORTING SERVICE WAUKEGAM, I L ( 7 0 8 ) 623-7580
I , LINDA M. GIUSEFFI, do hereby certify
that I am a Certified Shorthand Reporter doing business
in the County of Lake and State of Illinois; that I
reported the foregoing Report of Proceedings in
shorthand; and that the foregoing is a t.rue and correct
transcript of my shorthand notes so taken as aforesaid.
BARBARA E. RICHARDSON CORONER OF LAKE COUNTY
STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF LAKE } s s .
VERDICT FORM
An I n q u i s i t i o n was taken f o r t h e People o f t h e S t a t e of I l l i n o i s ,
a t . * f l i n t h e Town of Wadceqan
i n s a i d County o f LAKE , on t h e 29th day of October
A. D . , 19 92 , b e f o r e me, BARBARA E. RICHARDSON Coroner, i n and f o r s a i d county,
upon view of t h e body o f Christina Pratt
t hen and t h e r e l y i n g dead, upon t h e o a t h s o f s i x goodlawful men of t h e s a i d county,
who being duly sworn t o i n q u i r e on t h e p a r t o f t h e People of t h e S t a t e o f I l l i n o i s ,
i n t o a l l c i rcumstances a t t e n d i n g t h e dea th of s a i d . . r?at~nn PraPt
and by whom t h e same was produced, and i n what manner and when and where t h e s a i d
Chr i s t ina Pratt came t o her dea th .
We, t h e undersigned, J u r o r s sworn t o i n q u i r e i n t o t h e dea th of . . rrstana P r a t t on o a t h do f i n d t h a t she
came t o b r dea th by RIUlti~le t?ZmKBtic injuries due to blunt force tlrauUB
which was a result of a -la rnlwer thAt.MTsnlrrar? m .-r 7. 1992 at 12:45 a.m. on Rt. 43 at intersection with R t . 41 in Park City, L a k e
19
From the evidence ~resented~ we the iu ry believe that the xnannar of her to -.
In test imony whereof, t h e s a i d Coroner and J u r y o f t h e inques t have hereunto s e t t h e i r hands on t h e day and yea r
................ J
7 LWLr,/L .\) =.:~.?y.{. .................... ............................
D e ~ u t v Coroner
BARBARA E. RICHARDSON CORONER S CASE NO. yA -0 7 -$3 35'
CORONER OF LAKE COUNTY BOOK NO. 41 2
NAME OF DECEASED PRATT CHRISTINA JEAN LAST FIRST MIDDLE
DATE OF DEATH: September 7) 1992 DATE OF BIRTH: August 6) 1974 AGE: 1~
INQUEST HELD AT Lake County Courthousel 10th FLoor, Ilsserribly Room
ON THE 29th DAY OF , 19 92
JURY NAMES:
SANDRA J. NIEHIETZ
DEAN J. JORDAN
WITNESSES : NAME - ADDRESS OCCUPATION
James Ledinat Park City Police Dent. police Officer
Rwer Barrette, Lhke County Sheriff's Dept~t Depputy Sheriff
James Wipper, Lake County Coroner's Office, Deputy Coroner
DISPOSITION OF BODY: BURIAL XX CREMATION - PERVIT #
AT ~nmnrial. i.-er IL DATE Sept. 10, 1992
FUNERAL HOME Marsh Funeral H W r 305 Cemetery Rd-I Gurnee, I L 60031
DESCRIPTION OF DECEASED (IF NAME IS UNKNOWN):
TYPE OF DEATH: NATURAL ACCIDENTAL X HOMICIDE SUICIDE (MOTOR VEHICLE XX DROWNING - - FIRE - SHOOTING -> (INDUSTRIAL - OTHER Sinqle vehicle rollover 1
VERDICT OF JURY
the undersigned jurors sworn inquire into the death
Christina Jean Pratt on oath do find that
she came t o her death on September 71 1992
a t 1:57 A.M. a t St. Therese Medical Center Emergency Room, Waukeganl
in Lake County, I l l i n o i s . We f ind tha t her death was
due t o multiple traumatic injuries due to blunt force trauma
which was a r e su l t of ~1 : j ~ O C ~ \ < je c 1 e ,, \ 1 c J ~ w - -
From the evidence presented, we the jury believe tha t the manner
of her death t o be U ( 'C f (&,/a t[L-,/ (accidental, homicide, suicide, natural causes, undetermined)
.....................
(optional addition fo r recmendat ions from the jury)
I t is our opinion tha t
Foreman