A 26-year-old Woodstock man died early Tuesday morning after he crashed his car into a light pole, igniting a fire and leaving him trapped inside.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and Woodstock Police Department were called at 3 a.m. Tuesday to Route 14 and Lake Street for a car that struck a light pole.
Emergency crews arrived and found a sedan that struck a light pole and was on fire. Police arrived before the fire department and tried to get the driver, later identified as Benjie J. Tafolla, 26, of Woodstock, out of the vehicle, but he was trapped in the car and officers weren’t able to.
According to the McHenry County Coroner’s Office, Tafolla was driving westbound on Route 14 when he lost control of the car and crashed into a light pole. He was pronounced dead at 3:13 a.m.
An autopsy performed showed that Tafolla died from blunt trauma to the head. Toxicology testing is pending.
The crash remains under investigation by the Woodstock Police Department, Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) and McHenry County Coroner’s Office.