Nov. 07--The husband of the Chicago stage actress who died in September when a tree fell on her while she rode her bike through Erickson Woods is suing the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.
Joe Foust, the husband of Molly Glynn, filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court on Thursday, alleging that the district was negligent in keeping "diseased, defective, weakened" trees, which "presented a risk of harm to persons using the bike path." The suit claims that the district had notice that the trees were weakened.
Glynn, 46, was bicycling with Foust, on Sept. 5 around 3 p.m. on the North Branch Trail, approaching Willow Road, when a storm blew in quickly, officials told the Tribune at the time. A wind gust uprooted a tree, which then fell and struck Glynn, Foust told the Tribune at the time.
Police for the Forest Preserve District responded to the call, and Glynn was taken to Evanston NorthShore Hospital, where she died about midday the next day.
The suit alleges that it was "a large section of a diseased, defective and weakened tree" that broke off and struck Glynn.
The suit claims negligence, alleging that the district failed to inspect, prune and maintain the trees and failed to warn people using the bike path that the trees were unsound.
The suit also alleges that such a failure to inspect the trees was done "with an utter indifference and conscious disregard for the safety of the public and Molly Anne Glynn."
A spokesman said Thursday that the district couldn't comment on pending litigation.
mmrodriguez@tribune.com
