A pedestrian tragedy occurred Sunday afternoon on Illinois 53 as Saul Hernandez, a 37-year-old man from Wheeling, was fatally struck by a gray Tesla while crossing the highway in suburban Palatine. The Illinois State Police responded to the scene near Lake Cook Road shortly before 5 p.m., where Hernandez sustained injuries that later proved fatal.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Hernandez was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:34 p.m., as confirmed by the state police and the Cook County medical examiner's office. The incident caused the northbound lanes of I-53 to shut down, however, traffic resumed normal flow around 8:20 p.m., after officials cleared the scene.
Details surrounding the circumstances of the accident remain sparse. The Illinois State Police have not yet provided insights into the cause of the crash or the reasons behind Hernandez's presence on the road at the time of the incident.
Upon identifying Hernandez, the Cook County medical examiner released his name on Monday. A report by ABC 7 Chicago stated that the roads were once again open just after 8:15 p.m. It is still unclear why Hernandez was on the roadway, officials are urging the public to come forward with any information that might shed light on this tragic occurrence.
