Child Killed, 14 Injured at Portillo’s Restaurant Car Accident in Oswego

Pedestrian Accident - August 16, 2025

Investigation Underway After Vehicle Drove Through the Front of Portillo’s Restaurant, Resulting in 1 Death and 14 Injuries

OSWEGO, ILLINOIS (August 15, 2025) – A two-year-old child tragically died, and fourteen other people were injured in an Oswego car accident at Portillo’s restaurant.

Kendall County officials are saying that the accident took place around 1:55 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30. A vehicle drove into the storefront of a Portillo’s restaurant.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision to help all of the victims. Sadly, a 2-year-old child died due to the severe nature of his injuries.

A total of 14 other people also sustained injuries, including the driver of the vehicle. At least 8 of those victims require hospitalization.

A full investigation into the cause of the accident at Portillo’s remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Kendall County Car Accidents

All drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care to avoid colliding with pedestrians and other vehicles. When a driver enters a storefront, it tends to be the result of “pedal confusion.” This occurs when a driver mistakes the accelerator for the brakes. When a driver fails to avoid fixed objects like stores, they will typically be held at fault. They may have been negligent in any number of different ways.

• Speed: A driver may have approached a parking spot with too much speed and failed to slow down in time.
• Intoxication: It is also possible that any driver that hit a store may have been intoxicated.
• Distraction: In many circumstances, these collisions may be due in part to the driver being distracted by their phone or some other device.

The vast majority of storefront collisions are totally preventable. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any collision with an errant driver. Evidence can help reveal what went wrong and who may be liable for a collision. Liability could extend beyond any at-fault driver depending on the unique facts of any case.

Illinois Storefront Collisions as Premises Liability Claims

The owner of a restaurant or other business could potentially be liable if patrons are injured by a vehicle that enters a storefront. All property owners have a legal obligation to prevent reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This may necessitate that a business install bollard posts to block errant vehicles at certain locations. Bollard posts are sturdy concrete or steel pillars that act as a physical barrier to stop vehicles. There are certain situations where a business may need to install bollard posts.

• High Pedestrian Foot Traffic: Any area with high pedestrian foot traffic may need bollard posts to protect all of the pedestrians in that area.
• History of Accidents: If there is a history of vehicles colliding with storefronts, this may act as constructive notice of a dangerous condition that must be addressed.

It can be difficult to know what to do after any accident where a vehicle drove into a storefront. Businesses will virtually never accept any responsibility for what happened. This is why it is so important that these collisions are thoroughly investigated by experienced legal counsel. Any person injured in such a collision may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil action.

Investigating Illinois Car Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of the child killed in this collision. It is our sincere hope that the other victims will be able to make a full recovery. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many questions remain unanswered at this time. Is there a history of similar accidents at this location or at other Portillo’s restaurants?

Do you need more information about a car accident in Oswego? Our team of consumer safety advocates is here to assist you in any way that we can. We are committed to helping accident victims get the information and support that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach us anytime at (312) 564-4256.