The sheriff says a head-on crash near Hebron on Saturday was caused by a driver who failed to yield at a stop sign, leaving seven people hospitalized, including three children.
The Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 9:27 p.m. Saturday to the intersection of Route 47 and O’Brien Road in unincorporated Hebron for a vehicle crash.
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Communications Specialist Emily Matusek said an investigation showed a 2019 Nissan sedan was traveling eastbound on O’Brien Road.
The driver of the Nissan, Amber Gonzaque, 36, failed to yield at the stop sign and struck a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse, which was traveling southbound on Route 47.
Hebron Fire Chief Thomas Linneman said crews arrived to find the vehicles involved had heavy damage and one person was trapped.
A total of seven people were injured. Two medical helicopters were initially requested to the scene but only one was needed, Linneman said.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to bring six ambulances to the scene.
Gonzaque and a child passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals, Matusek said.
A passenger in the Nissan was flown by a LifeNet medical helicopter to Javon Bea Hospital—Riverside in Rockford where he remains in critical condition. He is expected to survive.
The driver, adult passenger and two child passengers in the Chevrolet were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, Matusek said.
The driver and two children have been treated and released.
Gonzaque was cited for failure to yield at a stop sign. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor, Matusek said.
The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.