Yajayra Huerta, 29, of Elgin, died after the go-kart she was driving was struck by a car near Marengo Saturday. The man driving the car has since been charged.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said that the crash occurred on Saturday at 10:20 p.m. and involved a 2011 Toyota Camry and a Manco Go-Kart in the 22200 block of River Road in unincorporated Marengo.
Authorities said that Huerta was driving the go-kart westbound on River Road when the Toyota, driven by 26-year-old Brett Herold of Marengo, was also driving westbound.
The Toyota struck the back of the go-kart and Herold fled the scene, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said.
Huerta was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Woodstock Hospital where she was pronounced dead. She was the only occupant of the go-kart.
Herold was located by police a short time later and taken into custody. He was not injured in the crash.
Herold was charged with a class 4 felony of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury, a class A misdemeanor of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury and failure to reduce speed. He has since been released from the McHenry County Jail on bail.
On Monday, McHenry County Coroner Dr. Anne Majewski identified Huerta and confirmed that she died from blunt force trauma to her brain, spine, chest and abdomen.
The area near River Road and Hawthorn Road was closed for six hours. The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office at 815-338-2144.