An SUV hit and killed a North Chicago man who had slowed or stopped in the roadway on his motorcycle in Waukegan after experiencing a mechanical problem.
The Waukegan Police Department responded around 1:45 a.m. Sunday to the intersection of Green Bay Road and Suddard Street for a vehicle crash.
Officers arrived to find a crash involving a small motorcycle and an SUV, according to Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip.
The Waukegan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit was activated and responded.
Investigators believe that a street-legal 2018 Kawasaki Z125 Pro motorcycle was traveling southbound on Green Bay Road.
The Kawasaki experienced a mechanical issue and the motorcycle slowed significantly or came to a stop, Florip said.
A 2021 Chevrolet Trax SUV struck the motorcycle from behind.
Investigators believe that scene lighting and the motorcycle’s mechanical failure are the main elements in the crash, Florip said.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead on the scene.
Florip said the driver of the motorcycle has been identified as a North Chicago man in his 40s.
The man’s identity will be released following an autopsy and family notification by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
The driver of the SUV, a woman in her 50s from Zion, remained at the scene following the crash.
The woman is fully cooperating with the investigation. No citations have been issued and no charges have been filed.
The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, Florip said. The SUV driver was wearing her seatbelt.
Police also determined the motorcycle had been reported stolen from Grayslake on July 9.
The crash remains under investigation by the Waukegan Police Department.