A man and woman who were killed after a three-vehicle crash involving two semi trucks and an SUV on I-94 near Deerfield have been identified by the coroner’s office.
Christopher Lopez, 29, of Bronx, New York, and Roberta Harris, 29, of Chicago, both died of blunt force injuries caused by a motor vehicle crash, according to Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper.
Cooper said that toxicology results are pending for both. “We have been in close contact with both families and our deepest condolences go out to them during this difficult time. This is truly a tragedy,” he added.
The Illinois State Police and Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Department responded around 10:26 a.m. Tuesday to I-94 eastbound at mile post 22 near Half Day Road.
State police said that a preliminary investigation shows an SUV and two semi trucks were traveling eastbound on Interstate 94 when the SUV sideswiped one of the trucks for an unknown reason. The SUV spun out and struck the second semi truck.
All lanes eastbound and westbound Interstate 94 were closed for a short time to allow a LifeNet medical helicopter to land in the eastbound lanes of the tollway, ISP said.
The driver, identified Lopez, and the front seat passenger, identified as Harris, of the Jeep SUV were pronounced dead at the scene. The rear seat passenger in the SUV was extricated by firefighters and flown to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with life-threatening injuries.
The drivers of the two semi trucks suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Highland Park Hospital, police said.
The westbound lanes were reopened at 11:35 a.m. and the eastbound lanes remained closed until 3:05 p.m. following an extensive traffic crash investigation.