An Evanston woman lost her life in a tragic accident on Sunday evening in Gurnee, authorities have confirmed. The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Grand Avenue over Interstate 94, when her vehicle was struck by an out-of-control Chevrolet Suburban, according to NBC Chicago. Police believe that the driver of the Suburban, a 29-year-old woman from Waukegan, was attempting a lane change when she encountered a patch of ice, causing her vehicle to careen across the median and into the eastbound lane, where it collided head-on with a 2007 Ford Focus.
The force of the collision sent the Ford Focus, driven by the 29-year-old Evanston woman, into a ditch, where she was pronounced dead on the scene. The Suburban, with the driver and her two young children on board - a 5-year-old son and an 8-month-old daughter - suffered injuries and were transported to a hospital, as reported by WGN-TV. A third vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, was also impacted by debris from the crash and sustained a flat tire, though no injuries were reported for its occupants.
The identity of the Evanston woman was not immediately released as officials were in the process of notifying her family. The conditions of the injured parties from the Chevrolet Suburban were not known, although local hospitals were on alert following the crash. The Major Crash Assistance Team, along with Gurnee police, is investigating the incident and has shut down Grand Avenue for several hours to conduct their investigation.
This fatal crash was one amid several that took place during a severe winter weather event. The Lake County area was under a winter storm warning, with heavy snow causing treacherous driving conditions. "Due to the winter weather conditions at the time, the vehicle is believed to have struck a patch of ice," stated Gurnee police in a release obtained by NBC Chicago, underscoring the hazards faced by travelers during such extreme weather phenomena.
