Two drivers were hospitalized after a head-on collision Thursday morning in McHenry County, with one facing life-threatening injuries. The accident, involving a van and an SUV, occurred in the 1500 block of River Road, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
The crash report detailed that a Ford Club Wagon van, driven by a 39-year-old man from Jacksonville, attempted to dangerously pass another vehicle in a marked no-passing zone. Subsequently, the van lost control and crashed into a southbound Honda Element, operated by a 53-year-old McHenry woman. The incident led to both drivers requiring urgent medical attention and being taken to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry, according to the sheriff's office's release.
After the collision, the Ford driver was ejected owing to not wearing a seat belt, and because the van lacked airbags, there was no cushioning upon impact. He was later airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville due to his critical condition. The driver of the Honda Element had to be extricated by the emergency services. Fortunately, her condition was deemed serious but stable, likely aided by the fact she was buckled up and her vehicle was equipped with airbags.
The Sheriff's Office has disclosed that their Major Traffic Crash Investigation Unit is thoroughly investigating the incident. There were no passengers in either vehicle, and the vehicles came to a halt in front of the entrance to Moraine Hills State Park. More information will become available as the investigation unfolds, but it appears that negligence on the part of the Ford driver may have contributed to triggering this tragic event.
