Wednesday will be a turning point in the criminal case against Robert Vais, the motorist charged with fatally striking cyclist Hector Avalos while drunk.

That day, there will be a hearing on a Motion to Quash Arrest filed by lawyers for Vais. They will argue that the police officers who responded to the crash did not have probable cause to arrest the defendant, according to Avalos family attorney Michael Keating (a Streetsblog sponsor). If Judge Nicholas Ford denies the motion, the case continues towards a trial. However, if Judge Ford grants the motion, the case will be thrown out of court.

Avalos, a 28-year-old former marine and aspiring chef, was biking on the 2500 block of West Ogden in Douglas Park on the night of December 6, 2013. Vais, 54, allegedly struck him from behind.

The hearing will take place at 9:30 a.m. in room 702 of the Cook County Courthouse, 26th and California.

http://chi.streetsblog.org/2014/09/19/key-hearing-next-wednesday-in-the-hector-avalos-case/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GridChicago+%28Streetsblog+Chicago%29