In the span of 12 hours, a suburban Chicago county reported a series of fatal crashes that left multiple people, including an 11-year-old child, dead and sparked pleas from area officials.
According to the McHenry County Sheriff’s office, three fatal crashes killed three people in a matter of hours in numerous suburbs.
“Our hearts are with the families forever changed by these tragedies,” Sheriff Robb Tadelman said in a statement, adding that “we are taking this seriously.”
The first crash happened around 6:45 p.m. Monday, when two vehicles collided at the intersection of Kishwaukee Valley Road and Deerpass Road in unincorporated Marengo.
There, police said a 2016 Ford Transit Van, driven by an 18-year-old from Huntley, was traveling northbound on Deerpass Road when it failed to yield at a stop sign. At the same time, a 2012 Audi Q5, driven by a 29-year-old Wonder Lake man, with an 11-year-old passenger in the vehicle, was traveling eastbound on Kishwaukee Valley Road and did not have a stop sign.
“For unknown reasons, the driver of the Ford failed to yield at the stop sign and crashed into the Audi, causing the Audi to hit a tree on the north side of the roadway,” the sheriff’s office said in a release.
The teen driver of the Ford suffered minor injuries and was taken to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock, while the driver of the Audi suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Northwestern Huntley Hospital for treatment. The 11-year-old was transported to Javon Bae Hospital in Rockford and was later pronounced dead, police said.
“Airbags deployed in both vehicles. The driver and passenger in the Audi were wearing their seat belts, while the driver of the Ford was not,” police said. “Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.”
An investigation remained ongoing Wednesday.
The next crash happened just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, also on Kishwaukee Valley Road, near Woodstock.
There, a 2011 Dodge Ram was traveling eastbound on the roadway when it crossed over the centerline “for unknown reasons” and was hit by a westbound 2023 Mack truck, sending the Ram into a ditch.
The driver of the Ram, a 50-year-old Belvidere man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi was not injured.
Less than an hour later, a single-vehicle crash left a 35-year-old man dead near Harvard.
Police said they responded to the 19000 block of Hebron Road in unincorporated Harvard after a 1997 GMC Sierra left the roadway east of US Route 14, hit a utility pole and flipped over, landing on its roof. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and the crash remained under investigation.
“We’re urging every driver: slow down, stay alert, and make responsible decisions behind the wheel. Your life, and the lives of others, depend on it,” Tadelman said.
Multiple area fire departments issued joint statements after responding to the scenes, which came during a dangerous heat wave across the region, “further adding to the physical demands placed on responders.”
“While the circumstances and outcomes of each incident varied, the impact has been felt across the communities we serve and among those who responded. Each incident had a deep impact, and we recognize the challenges faced by those involved,” the statement from Woodstock, Harvard and Marengo fire departments read. “From Monday morning through Tuesday morning, our fire and EMS resources were shared across nearly all of these responses … The pace of these back-to-back incidents demanded focus, endurance, and a high level of coordination.”
The fire chiefs from the department noted that such responses are “emotionally heavy.”
“Our thoughts are not only with the victims and their families, but also with our responders. Calls like these take a toll,” the statement read.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s office announced in response to the crashes that it was conducting “directed traffic patrols” and increasing its presence in “high-risk area” to monitor for “speeding, distracted driving and impaired operation.”
They asked drivers to do the following:
Slow down – especially on less-traveled roads. Put the phone down – no distraction is worth a life. Buckle up – every time, every seat. Drive sober – plan ahead, no excuses. Stay alert – your full attention can save lives.“If you witness reckless or impaired driving, please report it. Your call could save someone’s life,” Tadelman said. “Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts. And please, drive carefully, drive responsibly, and do your part to prevent another tragedy.”
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