State police are searching for the driver who hit a bicyclist on Route 53 near Elwood last Monday evening, then took off and left the rider fatally injured along the roadside. The crash is believed to have happened between about 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Responders later found the bicyclist, who was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead, along with what appeared to be a front bumper and a broken headlight. The vehicle and driver were long gone by the time officers arrived.
What Police Say
The Illinois State Police have opened a hit-and-run investigation and are publicly seeking assistance, according to CBS Chicago. Troopers said they were called around 8:29 a.m. Tuesday to Route 53 southbound at Thele Road, where they found a man on the ground who had been struck hours earlier. The bicyclist was transported to an area hospital and later died.
At the scene, investigators recovered a front bumper and a headlight that are believed to have come from the vehicle that hit him. State police say they want to hear from anyone who was driving in the area at the time, witnessed the crash, or has dash-cam footage that might have captured even a glimpse of the suspect vehicle. Tips can be shared with Illinois State Police special agents at 815-221-2709 or submitted through the ISP crime-tip website.
Where It Happened
The fatal collision took place on Route 53 near Thele Road in rural Will County, along the stretch that runs through the village of Elwood, about 45 miles southwest of Chicago. The Village of Elwood notes the town’s proximity to major interstate access and an intermodal port, a combination that helps turn parts of Route 53 into a heavily traveled corridor.
That steady mix of local cars and heavy commercial traffic can create risky conditions for anyone riding a bicycle on or near the roadway, and investigators say the dynamics on that stretch of Route 53 are part of what they are examining as they reconstruct what happened.
How To Help The Investigation
State police have stressed that they are especially interested in any witnesses who saw a vehicle with fresh front-end damage or who drove the Route 53 and Thele Road area around the time of the crash, according to CBS Chicago. Even a short dash-cam clip that seems unremarkable could help them identify the vehicle or narrow down the time frame.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Illinois State Police special agents at 815-221-2709 or submit a tip online through the ISP crime-tip website. Tips can be made anonymously.
Legal Consequences For Leaving The Scene
Under Illinois law, walking away from a crash that results in a death is not a minor offense. The Illinois Vehicle Code classifies failing to stop and report such a collision as a Class 1 felony, a charge that can bring years in prison and revocation of the driver’s license, according to the Illinois General Assembly.
Prosecutors decide what charges to file once investigators identify a suspect and assemble enough evidence. Local authorities typically handle notifying family members and coordinating with the coroner as the investigation moves forward.
Illinois State Police say the case remains very much active and that any new detail, no matter how small it seems, could be the piece that finally leads them to the vehicle and driver involved. Local law enforcement will continue working with state agents as they chase down leads, and the tip line remains open for anyone willing to come forward.
