Tag Archives: LIBRARIAN

Spouse of Evanston librarian who died in bicycle crash files lawsuit against driver

(EVANSTON) The husband of a children’s librarian who died in a crash while riding her bicycle to work in north suburban Evanston has filed a lawsuit against the driver.

Gay “Gigi” Galich was on her way to work at Evanston Public Library when she was struck by a motorcycle driven by Alexander E. Thorne about 9 a.m. June 30, 2014, in the 600 block of Church Street, or between Orrington and Chicago avenues, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in the Cook County Circuit Court.

Galich, then 55, was wearing a helmet and riding her bicycle in a dedicated bike lane at the time of the crash, according to the lawsuit.

Galich’s husband, Paul M. Magura, claims in the lawsuit that the driver drove too fast for conditions, failed to keep a sufficient lookout and failed to control his motorcycle.

A witness told police Thorne was eastbound on Church Street when the bicyclist, also eastbound in the designated bike lane, crossed the street mid-block right into the path of the motorcycle, Evanston police previously said.

Thorne, 27, was not hurt in the crash and was not issued any citations, the Sun-Times previously reported.

The three-count suit claims negligence and seeks more than $150,000.