After Fatally Striking Woman Crossing Road, Driver Ticketed

PARK RIDGE, IL — The motorist who struck and killed Park Ridge woman as she crossed the street in February was driving too fast at the time, police said. An investigation into a Feb. 14 fatal crash determined that Justin Buenz, 31, of Chicago, failed to exercise due care when he hit 42-year-old Bina Chowdhury as she crossed the street around 6:15 p.m. on Potter Road near Farrell Avenue, according to police.

Park Ridge Police Deputy Chief Duane Mellema said that the conditions that night – wet with a light drizzle – would have warranted going slower than the posted 35 mph speed limit.

Buenz was issued two traffic citations, one for driving too fast for conditions and one for failure to exercise due care, and he is due in court on May 17.

Chowdhury was killed on her way home from her nightly trip to bring Bengali food to her mother at the Ballard Respiratory and Rehabilitation Center, Pioneer Press reported. She had lived with her sister's family after losing her son at the age of 1, relatives told the paper. Prior to her death, she had been taking computer classes at Oakton Community College in Skokie.