A Marengo man has been charged with driving under the influence after causing a crash that killed a woman and a dog and also left a 4-year-old child seriously injured near Woodstock.
Sergio Esquivel, 44 of Marengo, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane usage.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Marengo Fire Protection District, Huntley Fire Protection District and Union Fire Protection District responded around 8:16 p.m. Wednesday to Route 176 west of Sunnyside Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
Sheriff’s deputies found a two-vehicle crash involving a red 2019 Dodge Challenger and gray 2016 Mazda 6.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the Dodge, driven by Esquivel, was traveling westbound on Route 176 west of Sunnyside Road.
The Mazda, driven by a 27-year-old Union woman, was traveling eastbound on Route 176.
The Dodge crossed the center line and crashed into the Mazda, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
The passenger of the Dodge, a 44-year-old Marengo woman, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Esquivel was transported by medical helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with serious injuries.
The driver of the Mazda and her passenger, a 4-year-old boy, were transported from the scene by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock.
The 4-year-old male was later transported by ambulance to Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago with serious injuries.
Two dogs were also inside the Mazda at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s office said.
One dog died in the crash and the other was taken to an emergency veterinarian for observation.
Route 176 between Sunnyside Road and Timber Lane was closed for approximately six hours for the investigation.
The occupants of the Dodge were not wearing seatbelts. The driver of the Mazda was wearing a seatbelt and the 4-year-old passenger was restrained in a child safety seat.
Esquivel was issued a notice to appear in court due to him being hospitalized, according to McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Byrnes.
The investigation is ongoing by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.