A head-on crash believed to be caused due to drunk driving left a woman dead and two others seriously injured in Waukegan late Thursday evening, police said.
The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded around 11 p.m. Thursday to the area of Lewis Avenue and Brookside Avenue for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Officers located a serious crash involving a red 2008 Dodge hatchback and a black 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to Waukegan Police Commander Joe Florip.
Investigators believe the Dodge was traveling southbound on Lewis Avenue at Brookside Avenue when it crossed the center line and struck the Jeep, which was traveling northbound.
The Dodge was driven by a Waukegan woman in her 30s and a Waukegan woman in her 20s was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The passenger of the Dodge was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital. The driver was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
An autopsy on the passenger has been scheduled for Monday. Her identity will be released following notification to her next of kin and the autopsy.
The driver of the Jeep, a Waukegan man in his 20s, suffered “moderate injuries” and was transported to an area hospital, Florip said.
The Jeep was also occupied by the driver’s 4-year-old son, who was not injured.
The driver of the Jeep and the 4-year-old boy were not wearing seatbelts and the boy was not in a child safety seat, Florip said, adding that it is unknown if the occupants of the Dodge were wearing their seatbelts either.
Florip said that early indicators point towards alcohol as a possible contributing factor in the crash.
The Waukegan Police Department Traffic Division and Lake County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate.