Authorities have identified a 35-year-old woman who was killed after a minivan cut off a semi-truck, causing a three-vehicle crash in Deer Park Thursday morning.
An autopsy showed that Byronnise Clark, 35, of Champaign, died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries in a vehicle crash, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Zurich Fire Department responded around 9:35 a.m. Thursday to Route 12 and Deer Park Boulevard in Deer Park for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located three vehicles with extensive damage, according to Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Lt. Christopher Covelli.
A preliminary investigation shows a 2000 Peterbilt Truck, which was hauling a partial load of gravel, was traveling southbound on Route 12.
The Peterbilt, driven by a 65-year-old Melrose Park man, was in the outside lane of traffic approaching Deer Park Boulevard.
A 2002 Chevrolet Venture minivan was traveling southbound next to the Peterbilt in the inside lane of traffic, Covelli said.
The Chevrolet, driven by a 36-year-old Harvey man, attempted to make a right turn onto westbound Deer Park Boulevard from the inside lane of traffic for an unknown reason.
He made a wide right turn directly in front of the Peterbilt, causing the Peterbilt to strike the Chevrolet as it tried turning right. The Chevrolet then struck a utility pole before coming to a rest.
The driver of the Peterbilt swerved in order to avoid hitting the Chevrolet again and sideswiped a southbound 2018 Infiniti SUV, which was in the inside lane. The Infiniti was driven by a 64-year-old McHenry man.
The driver of the Chevrolet and a front-seat passenger in the Chevrolet, later identified as Clark, were transported to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington with major injuries.
Clark succumbed to her injuries at the hospital and was pronounced dead. The male driver is in critical condition.
The driver of the Peterbilt was transported to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Infiniti was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit and Lake County Coroner’s Office.