Belleville city employee was struck by driver who had frosty windshield, charges say
A Belleville woman has been charged with aggravated reckless driving on allegations she didn’t adequately clear frost off her windshield before hitting a Belleville city worker who was setting up barricades on a downtown street for the annual Santa Parade in November.
The city employee, David Harris, remains hospitalized at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, according to his attorney, Matt Nagel of the Growe Eisen Karlen Eilerts law firm in Swansea.
Jacolby C. Sims, 37, was charged on Jan. 14 in connection with the collision that critically injured Harris early on the morning of Nov. 29, according to St. Clair County court records.
The aggravated reckless driving charge is a felony. Sims also was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving.
Sims is being represented by Belleville attorney Justin M. Whitton, who said he couldn’t comment on the case.
Court records show Whitton has entered a “not guilty” plea for Sims.
The charging documents allege Sims “with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons in that she failed to sufficiently clear the windshield of frost on her vehicle, and such frost obstructed her view while driving on South Illinois Street, where David Harris was walking as a pedestrian.”
The low temperature on Nov. 29 at Scott Air Force Base was 25 degrees, according to the National Weather Service office in St. Louis.
Veteran city employee
Harris, 65, had worked for the city for 36 years before he was struck.
He had planned to retire in January and the parade was going to be his last overtime service with the city, his wife, Mary Harris, said a couple of days after her husband was injured.
She has since asked Nagel to speak on behalf of the family.
“He’s still in very serious condition,” Nagel said of David Harris.
Nagel said he couldn’t comment on the extent of Harris’ injuries or his prognosis.
A workers’ compensation claim has been filed for Harris, Nagel said.
“He’s surrounded by people that really love him and really care about him,” Nagel said. “The family is very thankful for the outpouring the city has had and his co-workers. They’re very, very grateful for that.”
Police were called at 6:52 a.m. on Nov. 29 to the 100 block of South Illinois Street regarding a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle.
According to a statement released by the Belleville Police Department after the collision, a city of Belleville employee was setting up barricades in preparation for the Santa Parade.
“He entered the roadway, walking across South Illinois at Washington, when he was struck by a black Dodge Journey traveling southbound,” the police statement said.
The annual parade goes through downtown streets and draws thousands of visitors each year on the day after Thanksgiving. City workers are tasked with closing several streets before the parade begins at 10 a.m.
