140 year of Shriners

140 year of Shriners

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Shriner hits parade spectators with go-cart in Niles

The Parade Season is with us again and we all need to check our parade cars! make sure the breaks work, the steering is Ok no loose bolts, do you have a kill switch that is easy to get to, and emergency break that works, the tires are Ok this can happen to any one! have you had your health check up this year? This type of event happened more that once last year and was on U-Tube and the TV it is not the image that the Shriners need.LG

July 4, 2008 BY KARA SPAK Staff Reporter, Chicago

A 75-year-old Shriner driving a miniature go-cart swerved out of control Friday at Niles' July 4 parade, striking two children, a man and an elderly woman before crashing into shrubs in front of a house.

The unidentified Shriner, part of a group of about five men entertaining the crowd in the popular tiny car exhibit, was at the end of the parade route on Monroe Street when he lost control of his go-cart, said Sgt. Vince Genualdi of the Niles Police Department.

The cart hit one 9-year-old, then swerved across the street before striking a second 9-year-old. He then drove up the driveway of the house at 7255 Monroe Street, hitting a 33-year-old man and 64-year-old female before stopping his cart in the shrubbery outside the home.

Both the adults were taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Genualdi said. They were treated and released with minor injuries.

The two 9-year-olds declined treatment at the scene.

Why the go-cart suddenly swerved off the parade route is a mystery.

"He (the Shriner) has no idea why," Genualdi said. "We asked him and he said he had no idea."

No citations were issued. Genualdi said the Shriners perform every year at the Niles parade, and they have never had an incident with their go-carts previously.

A person answering the phone at the Monroe Street home said she was not watching the parade at the time of the incident.

No comments: