Tragedy at the West Bank; A Settlement May Be Involved

The west bank of the Chicago River at Rogers Park, that is:-

...Concrete barriers and a stop sign were later installed where Roman's cab entered the water on the west bank, but no protective measures were placed on the east bank.

That's where police believe 25-year-old model Irma Sabanovic drove her car over a curb at the end of the 1100 block of West Blackhawk Street and into the river during the rainy early morning hours of May 12. Sabanovic, who drowned, was found Saturday inside her submerged Ford Focus.

"I would blame Chicago once again for not putting something up on both sides," Lorraine Roman said Monday. "Chicago should have put barriers up. They should have built something there on both sides of the river. They should have built a high cement wall."

Sabanovic, a Bosnian immigrant who lived in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, was driving to meet friends at Exit, a bar on the west side of the river on North Avenue, a few blocks north of Blackhawk. About 2 a.m., she texted a friend that she was lost. She was never heard from again.

And a settlement may be involved:-

Roman's estate sued the city and received a $500,000 settlement in 1997, according to court records. The settlement did not require the city to admit liability or require that changes be made to the street, said Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for the city's Law Department. Officials said they do not recall any lawsuits involving similar incidents at that location, Hoyle said.

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