HINSDALE, IL – Fuller's Car Wash, where a car struck and killed a boy last year, is willing to close permanently if the boy's family drops their lawsuit, Hinsdale's village president said Tuesday.
Fuller's has not returned repeated messages for comment. laser car wash near me
At a Village Board meeting, Village President Tom Cauley revealed Fuller's position in response to public comments from Brian Richards, the father of 14-year-old Sean Patrick Richards, who died in last July's crash.
Richards thanked the village for installing jersey barriers along the sidewalk in front of Fuller's, 102 Chicago Ave.
"It's not a perfect solution, but it's progress, and I think it helps public safety," the father said.
Then he questioned why permanent barriers known as bollards have yet to be installed at Fuller's, saying the village indicated last month that the bollards would be erected soon. The village fronted the money for the barriers, but expects the business to reimburse it.
Cauley said there was an issue with the engineer, but he didn't say what it was. Then he said cost was an issue as well.
He said he had spoken with the car wash's Doug Fuller and that the owner believed the Richards family wanted to shut down the car wash. The president said the businessman questioned why he should spend upwards of $100,000 if the wash would then close.
Cauley asked Richards whether his goal was to close Fuller's. Richards said it was.
"Don't you agree that it's a legitimate concern on their part that they don't want to install something if, at the end of the day, there's going to be a business that's not a car wash?" Cauley said.
Richards agreed it was a legitimate concern for Fuller's, but he said it was the village's job to ensure public safety.
Cauley then related what he said Doug Fuller told him.
"He told me that they are willing to consider closing down the car wash if you drop your lawsuit," Cauley said. "It seems to me it's entirely within your power to close down that car wash and have something else there."
Richards said he didn't think they should negotiate a lawsuit during a board meeting.
The father said he had spoken with Doug Fuller before, as recently as Friday in Fuller's office.
"I told him exactly what it would take – truth, accountability and public safety," Richards said. "That would include Doug Fuller writing a check for killing my son. That includes him having a tangible reminder every day of the pain that he's caused."
Later in public comments, Hinsdale resident Maria Banks said she wanted to tell Cauley how she felt he came across to Richards.
"I find it offensive that you repeatedly at this meeting laid it at their feet," she said. "It does sound like you are negotiating for the Fullers when your main job is public safety. It is appalling."
Kristine Richards, the 14-year-old's mother, said she asked Cauley in January to view the crash video when he met with the family at their house.
"I would like to thank the people, the board members and the manager for having the courage to watch the video to witness the tragedy, to see what our good police officers and fire department employees had to face on that horrific day," she said. "Mr. Cauley, I know it's not an easy thing to do, but I do think that knowledge is power. You need to see with your own eyes."
Cauley confirmed he had not seen the video, but did not explain why.
He said the village lacks the legal power to close the car wash.
On July 17, Sean Richards was walking on the sidewalk next to Fuller's from the orthodontist's office to the library when a 16-year-old Fuller's employee hit him. The worker ended up crashing into Fontano's Subs, 9 S. Lincoln St., which is across the street, injuring three people.
Last month, Cauley detailed a history of crashes involving Fuller's. For decades, Fuller's employees parked cars on the sidewalk, violating the village's code.
The village says Fuller's opened in 1962.
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