A five-vehicle chain-reaction crash on Ridge Road in Seward Township left a 79-year-old Aurora man dead and several others injured, turning an ordinary Tuesday afternoon drive into a fatal scene now under investigation by local authorities.
According to a news release from the Kendall County Sheriff's Office, the collision happened at about 4:50 p.m. near the intersection of Ridge Road and Bell Road. Investigators say all five vehicles were heading southbound when one slowed to make a left turn onto Bell Road and a following vehicle failed to stop, triggering a rear-end chain reaction. One person was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, while two others were taken for treatment of serious but not believed life-threatening injuries, according to the release.
Victim identified
The driver who later died from crash-related injuries was identified as Erling Varland, 79, of Aurora, as reported by Shaw Local. Varland died the day after the crash. The Will County Coroner’s Office is handling the death investigation and has stated that the cause and manner of death remain pending further examination.
Scene response and investigation
Fire crews from the Minooka, Troy, and Channahon fire protection districts responded to the crash site, and the roadway was shut down for about four hours while investigators documented the scene and cleared the vehicles, according to Patch. The Kendall County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is still active and listed Deputy Dan Briars as the contact for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information.
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