April 24, 2010
Four people were injured, one critically, when a Jeep and truck collided on the Northwest Tollway Friday afternoon near northwest suburban Elgin.
The accident occurred at 5:04 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of the Northwest Tollway (I-90) near the entrance ramp to Illinois Route 31, Elgin Fire Department Capt. Dave Schmidt said.
An Illinois State Police Tollway District master sergeant said the driver of a Jeep lost control of the vehicle and struck a truck.
"There was a Jeep getting on I-90 eastbound from Route 31," Schmidt said. "As he entered the tollway, somehow he ended up spinning out facing westbound in the eastbound lanes and got hit by a Ryder truck that was coming eastbound."
One of the Jeep's three passengers was listed in critical condition and was transported to Sherman Hospital in Elgin with two others who were seriously injured and one who reportedly sustained minor injuries.
The master sergeant said at least two people in the Jeep, a man and boy, were related. They suffered head, face and back injuries.
The crash brought traffic to a crawl along the eastbound Northwest Tollway for a little more than an hour, with one lane remaining open as crews cleared the damage. All lanes were re-opened to traffic by 6:14 p.m., Schmidt said.
It was not immediately known why the driver of the Jeep lost control, but alcohol or drugs to not appear to be a factor, the master sergeant said.
State Police Tollway District are investigating.