Two men, one in his 20s and another in his 70s, were killed after one of their vehicles collided head-on with the other along the state line near Wadsworth Friday evening.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Newport Fire Protection District responded around 7:15 p.m. Friday to the area of West Russell Road and Delany Road in Newport Township — north of Wadsworth — for a crash with injuries.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found a 2006 Chevrolet Express and 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer with heavy damage east of the intersection.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that both vehicles were only occupied only by their drivers.
The two drivers sustained major injuries during the crash and paramedics pronounced both of them dead at the scene.
A preliminary investigation shows the Chevrolet Express, driven by a 79-year-old Zion man, was traveling eastbound on Russell Road.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer, driven by a 29-year-old Winthrop Harbor man, was traveling westbound on Russell Road.
Covelli said the driver of the Chevrolet Trailblazer crossed the center lines for an unknown reason, traveled into the eastbound lanes, and struck the Chevrolet Express head-on.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and scheduled an autopsy for Tuesday on the men.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit.