A woman has been charged with DUI after she crashed her car, which had a young child in it, into a semi-truck, causing a fire and injuring both of them near Woodstock.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Woodstock Fire-Rescue District responded around 8:45 p.m. Friday to Route 47 north of Ware Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Sheriff’s deputies found a 2012 Chevrolet Cruz sedan and 2005 Western Star truck-tractor involved.
An investigation revealed the Western Star had been traveling northbound and the Chevrolet had been traveling southbound.
The Chevrolet crossed into the northbound lane and collided with the Western Star, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Chevrolet left the roadway to the west. The Western Start left the roadway to the east, colliding with a tree, and becoming fully engulfed in fire.
The driver of the Western Star, a 45-year-old Woodstock man, did not require medical treatment.
Sheriff’s officials said that the driver of the Chevrolet, identified as Gabriella Ortiz, 21, of Woodstock, was trapped in her car and firefighters had to extricate her.
Ortiz was flown by a medical helicopter to Javon Bea Hospital – Riverside in Rockford with non-life-threatening injuries. She remains hospitalized for observation.
A 2-year-old girl in the Chevrolet also suffered minor injuries and was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry.
Ortiz was determined to have been operating the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, the sheriff’s office said. Ortiz was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol and is scheduled to appear in court on September 25.
Airbags deployed within the Chevrolet but the child was found to have not been properly restrained. Investigators were unable to determine whether either driver was wearing their seatbelt.
The investigation continues by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit.