A driver died after they crossed the center line on Route 23 and crashed head-on with a truck, causing both vehicles to catch on fire near Marengo Tuesday morning, the sheriff’s office said.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded at 3:34 a.m. Tuesday to Route 23 north of Busse Road in unincorporated Marengo for a vehicle crash.
Deputies arrived and found two vehicles fully engulfed in flames, according to a statement by the sheriff’s office.
A preliminary investigation showed a 2009 Toyota SUV was traveling northbound on Route 23 north of Busse Road when it crossed the center line of the roadway for unknown reasons.
A 2022 Freightliner was traveling southbound on Route 23 and both vehicles collided and caught on fire, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver of the Freightliner, a 52-year-old Harvard man, was able to exit his truck.
Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said the man sustained minor injuries and was transported to Northwestern Huntley Hospital by ambulance.
He was later released from the hospital, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver of the Toyota, whose identity has not yet been released, was unable to exit their vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Vucha said both drivers were the sole occupants of their vehicles.
The sheriff’s office said it is unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash or if the driver of the Toyota was wearing their seatbelt.
The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.