The brakes failed again at Fuller's Car Wash.
A Hinsdale Police Department accident report obtained by Patch on Friday, July 17, 2026, details what happened at 102 W. Chicago Ave. on Tuesday, July 1: a Fuller's employee entered a 2018 Ford Expedition as it exited the wash, pressed the brake, shifted into drive, and felt the pedal go all the way to the floor. The SUV lurched forward and struck the concrete-filled steel bollards installed across from the garage door.
Those bollards exist because of Sean Richards.
Richards, 14, was walking from an orthodontist's office to the library on the afternoon of Monday, July 17, 2023, when a Fuller's Car Wash employee lost control of a car that struck him on the sidewalk and crashed into Fontano's Subs, injuring three people inside. Sean died three days later.
After the July 1 crash, a Hinsdale Police officer interviewed the employee in the emergency room waiting area at UChicago Advent Health Hinsdale Hospital. The worker denied stepping on the accelerator. When the officer asked if he could have hit the gas accidentally, the employee responded, "I don't think so," according to the police report. He complained of head pain from the airbag and had abrasions on his forearm and hand. Owner Doug Fuller drove the employee to the hospital.
No tickets were issued. The car wash has remained closed since July 1.
The bollards held
Brian Richards, Sean's father, texted Patch after the July 1 crash: "Thank God that the village – based on our expert's report and testimony at village board meetings – installed the stronger bollards that did stop that truck and saved lives today."
The village approved those upgraded barriers at an October 11, 2023, Plan Commission meeting after Fuller initially installed bollards without village permission. Fuller and his attorney, Joel Groenewold, told the commission the posts extend four feet underground and "will stop any vehicle." The commission voted 8-0 to approve them.
In a statement to The Hinsdalean published July 8, Brian and Kristine Richards wrote: "This incident demonstrates how truly avoidable Sean's death was."
What's unresolved
Fuller's Car Wash voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2025. Neville Reid, the appointed bankruptcy trustee, told The Hinsdalean in an email published July 8 that his team is "still actively investigating the cause of the accident" and working with the village, the insurance company, and experts to determine conditions for reopening.
The Richards family's lawsuit against Fuller's remains pending. Residents have publicly called on the Village of Hinsdale to revoke Fuller's special-use permit. The Hinsdale Village Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet Tuesday, July 21. Whether Fuller's Car Wash appears on the agenda could not be confirmed; the village website returned errors when accessed.
Hinsdale public safety week ahead
- Tuesday, July 21 – Village Board of Trustees meeting. Residents have called for action on Fuller's special-use permit. Check the village website or contact the Village Clerk's office for the confirmed agenda and public comment procedures.
Residents seeking the full police report on the July 1 crash may file a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) with the Hinsdale Police Department. The Richards family lawsuit and Fuller's bankruptcy case can be tracked through the DuPage County Circuit Clerk's office and federal bankruptcy court, respectively.
