Flossmoor jogger dies after truck hits him in Mokena

A Flossmoor man who aspired to become a massage therapist, get married and start a family died after he was struck by a Toyota Tundra while jogging in Mokena.

About 6:42 a.m. Wednesday, officers responded to the incident at the intersection of Owens Road and Old Plank Road Trail, Mokena Police Chief Brian Benton said.

Officers learned that Tho Le, 37, of Flossmoor, was jogging on Old Plank Road Trail when he ran in front of a red Toyota Tundra that was traveling on Owens Road, Benton said.

Le was hit by the truck and taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

After speaking with witnesses of the incident, police investigating the incident determined the driver of the vehicle could not avoid Le, who was sprinting through the intersection, Benton said.

No tickets were issued for the driver.

“There was no indication the driver was impaired or anything, and there was nothing wrong with his vehicle,” Benton said.

Annie Le, the man’s sister, was on the trail Friday to set up a memorial for Tho Le. The memorial included flowers, a balloon and a sign that said Le was “truly special.”

“He didn’t deserve to die like this,” she said.

She described her brother as “really resilient” and someone who had “so much motivation in life.”

She said her brother struggled throughout his life with asthma and eczema. She said he recently began running when he was finally able to overcome those conditions. Running was his passion, she said.

Annie Le said her brother’s death was “so devastating.”

“He finally got in control of the two things that put him behind in life,” she said.

She said her brother worked as an InstaCart shopper, and he was saving money to become a massage therapist. She said her brother planned on getting married and starting a family.

Annie Le said her family has established a GoFundMe page for funeral expenses. The online fundraiser had raised $60 as of Friday afternoon.

Annie Le said her mother is trying to provide her brother a proper Buddhist funeral and bring his body to Vietnam.

In the meantime, Annie Le said the family is waiting on receiving the crash report. She said she wondered whether the driver could have avoided hitting her brother.

Vicky Poulakis, a resident of a subdivision close to the trail, stopped by to give Annie Le her condolences when she saw the memorial site. She said Owens Road has become unsafe, and there have been complaints about drivers speeding down the road. She also said the signs for motorists should have flashing lights on them.

“Nobody goes 35 mph down this street,” Poulakis said, referring to the posted speed limit.

Annie Le said she plans to come to the trail every day to leave fresh flowers and remind the public about her brother.

“I’m going to make sure people remember him, even if they didn’t know him,” she said.