The coroner has released the identity of a 28-year-old man who died when his SUV struck a pole and became engulfed in flames, trapping him inside, in Waukegan Sunday.
The Waukegan Police Department and Waukegan Fire Department responded around 2:30 a.m. Sunday to Sheridan Road and Glen Flora Avenue for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
A white 1999 GMC SUV had struck a pole and burst into flames, leaving the driver trapped inside, according to Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain.
A neighbor told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that bystanders were using sticks to try and break the windows to rescue the driver.
The neighbor, who wished to not be named, said the fire initially started small but quickly got bigger.
Officers arrived and found the single-vehicle crash with the vehicle fully engulfed in flames, Chastain said.
Officers were also unable to get the male driver out of the car due to the fire.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the driver was identified as Vincent Reyna, 28, of Waukegan.
Firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. They located Reyna deceased in the car.
Banek said an autopsy performed Tuesday showed Reyna suffered significant injuries in the crash but toxicology and carbon monoxide test results are still pending.
The Waukegan Police Department Major Crash Unit is investigating the cause of the crash.
Officers were on the scene investigating until around 9 a.m. Sunday.
The neighbor, who lives near the intersection, said he sees lots of vehicles speeding in the area and crashes are common. “Nothing this bad, this is the worst I’ve seen,” he said.
The first responders did a “very good job” but there was nothing that could be done for the victim, the neighbor said.