The Chicago Personal Injury firm of Morici, Longo & Associates Attorneys Lisa M. Longo and
James J. Morici, Jr. have filed a lawsuit against Jewel-Osco and other defendants in the February
18, 2026 death of Hector Banuelos. The 19-year-old was riding his bicycle westbound on North
Avenue, in a marked bike lane, crossing the mouth of a Jewel-Osco distribution center drive in
Melrose Park, IL. The tractor trailer made a left turn onto Jewel Drive striking the deceased and
his bicycle. Images captured from a surrounding business show the dramatic moment of impact
and the truck driver’s failure to yield. After the impact the entirety of the 18-wheeler passed over
the decedent and his bicycle, with a trailing tractor trailer nearly striking the deceased.
The Complaint alleges that the defendant failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to avoid colliding
with the deceased and/or to give adequate warning of its movement. The area is a major hub for
Jewel-Osco’s distribution network and the unprotected driveway with the intersection of the bike
lane is a highly traveled location presenting a substantial danger to the surrounding public.The deceased is survived by family members including his aunt, father and two siblings. The
Complaint filed on February 23, 2026, in the Circuit Court of Cook County will be assigned further
monitoring in the Law Division.
This matter is one in a long line of catastrophic injury and wrongful death suits pursued by the
Chicago Injury law firm since its founding in 1998.
On March 5, 2025, a Cook County jury returned a verdict of $3,510,000 on behalf of Plaintiff
Lorene Allison as Independent Administrator of the Estate of Daveon Dawson after deliberating
for approximately 3 hours. Attorneys Andrew J. Mazzuca and Brian S. Shallcross of Chicago
personal injury and wrongful death law firm Morici, Longo & Associates represented the family
of Daveon Dawson in the wrongful death case that resulted from a December 22, 2020, commercial
truck-pedestrian collision in Bedford Park, Illinois. The five-day trial was conducted before the
Honorable Daniel Trevino in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Inquires can be made to James J. Morici, Jr. (312-813-9235) and /or Lisa M. Longo of Morici,
Longo & Associates, 732 W. Randolph Street, 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661 (312-372-9600)