Driver fined in fatal McHenry Home Depot parking lot crash

A McHenry man was found guilty on Wednesday of failing to obey a stop sign in connection with a crash in the McHenry Home Depot parking lot that resulted in the death of a 71-year-old pedestrian.

Christian Zientko, 20, was ordered to pay $1,026 in fines tied to a traffic citation he received after the fatal pedestrian crash. Zientko on Wednesday agreed with the facts of the March 31 crash that killed Johnsburg resident William Dammeyer. McHenry County Judge Jennifer Johnson found Zientko guilty of the traffic ticket he received for failing to obey a stop sign when he struck Dammeyer in a crosswalk.

At the time of the crash, McHenry Police Sgt. Kevin Cox said there was no indication that Zientko was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. After reviewing the case, the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office determined no criminal charges would be filed.

Dammeyer’s family said they would have liked to see Zientko’s license suspended as a result of the crash.

The crash happened in The Home Depot parking lot, 2461 N. Richmond Road. An investigation determined Dammeyer was struck by a 2008 GMC Sierra HD pickup truck that was traveling near the entrance of the store. Dammeyer was taken to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital. He then was flown by a Flight For Life helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he later died.