A prearranged meeting in a Yorkville parking lot ended in tragedy Sunday evening when a driver intentionally struck two people, killing one and injuring the other, according to police. Yorkville officers were called to the Planet Fitness parking lot along East Veterans Parkway at 5:13 p.m. after reports that a vehicle had hit two pedestrians and then sped off.
The man who died was identified as 23-year-old Victor M. Hernandez Medina of Sandwich, Illinois, according to Patch. A second person was also struck and injured in the same incident, according to CBS News Chicago, which reported that the vehicle sped off after striking both victims.
Investigators Say the Crash Was No Accident
What initially appeared to be a hit-and-run crash has since been reframed by investigators as an intentional act. Preliminary findings show the suspect and the two victims had arranged to meet in the parking lot before the driver intentionally struck both of them, Patch reports. The vehicle reportedly struck the pair shortly after the parties came together at the location.
Yorkville police are investigating with help from the Kendall County Major Crimes Taskforce and the Illinois State Police, according to the Shaw Local report.
Suspect Tracked Down in Neighboring Oswego
Authorities located the suspect vehicle and driver a short time after the crash in Oswego, taking the driver into custody, per the same CBS News Chicago account. As of Monday, the driver remained detained, and no formal charges had been publicly filed, the Shaw Local report notes.
Yorkville Police Deputy Chief Garret Carlyle said intentional vehicular incidents like this one are extremely rare for the community. He urged residents arranging in-person meetups, such as for online sales, to use the designated safe exchange zones available at the police department rather than public parking lots.
Family Remembers Victim as Father, Brother, Cousin
Hernandez Medina's family has organized an online fundraiser to help cover funeral expenses, describing him as a father, brother, and cousin, according to the CBS News Chicago report. The loss has rippled through a family now facing sudden and unexpected grief.
Should charges eventually be filed, Illinois law treats fleeing the scene of a fatal collision as a serious offense on its own. Under Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-401, leaving the scene of a crash involving death is classified as a Class 1 felony if not reported within 30 minutes, carrying a potential sentence of four to 15 years in state prison, according to state statute.
A Rare Act of Violence in a Growing Suburb
Yorkville, the county seat of Kendall County, had an estimated population of 26,730 as of 2025, reflecting a 23.6% population increase since the 2020 Census, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. Kendall County maintains a violent crime rate of approximately 68 per 100,000 residents, ranking it among the top ten safest counties in Illinois, per IllinoisCrime.com data, underscoring just how unusual this case is for the fast-growing Chicago exurb.
Investigators have not disclosed a motive behind the prearranged meeting that preceded the attack, and it remains unclear what charges may ultimately be filed. Police have not released additional details about the condition of the surviving victim.
