We are outraged at the insufficient sentences given to Armando Reza and Erik Fabian, who were both convicted of intentionally attacking bicyclists with a car in Brookfield in 2009 [Chicago man guilty of running down Oak Park cyclist, News, June 23]. Reza pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, yet was sentenced to only 10 days in jail, probation and counseling. Fabian also pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of an accident. He was sentenced to no jail time, just two years of probation.
The penalty for this type of behavior must fit the crime. In this case, it does not. Violent behavior has no place on our roads. This instance should have served as an opportunity to condemn aggression toward bicyclists, which frequently ends in serious injury or death. Instead, it reinforces the complacency around traffic violence in our communities. We demand that the state’s attorney’s office explain why these two men were given sentences that in no way fit the crimes they committed.
The Active Transportation Alliance is a nonprofit, member-based advocacy organization. It works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312-427-3325.
Margo O’Hara
Active Transportation Alliance
