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Coroner Identifies River Drowning and Car Crash Victims

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

The Will County Coroner’s Office has released the names of two individuals declared dead this weekend in Joliet. Leslie Bridges and Norma Dantzler were declared dead in separate accidents that happened on Saturday.

The first case involved Norma J. Dantzler, 74, of Lockport, who was killed in a car accident on Saturday morning at the intersection of Louis Road and Route 53/Chicago Street. An autopsy determined the preliminary cause of death, which is pending the results of toxicology results, as injuries sustained in the accident. According to police, Dantzler was trying to turn onto Route 53 when she pulled in front of an oncoming SUV. Four people in the SUV were injured.

The second case involved the body of a man pulled from the Des Plaines River around 6pm on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Leslie D. Bridges, 24, of Joliet. The preliminary cause of death is believed to be drowning. Bridges was found by a tug boat operator north of the I-80 bridge. He was pronounced dead in the 700 block of Railroad Street, although there is no word yet about the circumstances of the accident.

According to Will County Records, Bridges was arrested in 2012 on charges of aggravated assault, knowingly damaging property and home invasion. He allegedly pulled a knife on a former landlord to obtain items that were confiscated from his apartment, according to the police report.

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