A quiet stretch of Oakton Street turned deadly early Tuesday when a 69-year-old Niles man was killed and a 51-year-old woman was hurt after their SUV left the road and hit a tree, according to police.
The crash happened around 12:18 a.m. in the 7700-block of Oakton Street, where a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe went off the roadway, struck a speed-limit sign and then slammed into a tree. Officers arrived to find the driver unconscious, started CPR at the scene and then rushed him to a hospital, where he later died.
Crash details from Niles police
Police said the passenger, a 51-year-old woman, was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and was expected to survive. Oakton Street was shut down between Milwaukee Avenue and Washington Street while first responders and investigators worked the scene.
Investigators said they do not believe impairment played a role in the crash, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Oakton has seen serious wrecks before
This was not the first serious wreck on Oakton in recent memory. In March 2024, an early-morning crash sent two people to the hospital after a vehicle went off the road and onto Emerson Middle School property. Officers later found a firearm and suspected drugs at that scene, as reported by Patch.
That earlier crash, like others on the corridor, briefly shut down stretches of Oakton while investigators and the Major Crash Assistance Team documented the scene and cleared debris.
Investigation ongoing
Niles police said Major Crash investigators remained on scene Tuesday and asked drivers to steer clear of the area until the road fully reopened, according to ABC7 Chicago.
The village in recent years has launched pedestrian-safety projects and traffic studies aimed at cutting down on collisions, according to Village of Niles press releases.
The investigation into Tuesday’s fatal crash remains active, and police asked anyone with information to contact the Niles Police Department. Our thoughts are with those affected by the crash.
