A driver has been cited for failing to stop at a stop sign and causing a crash that left a 76-year-old man, who came from Mexico to visit his children, dead in Wadsworth.
The incident happened around 1:55 p.m. on April 18 at Route 173 and Mill Creek Road in Wadsworth.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located two vehicles with significant damage, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
An investigation showed a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, driven by Marilu Luna-Trejo, 45, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was traveling northbound on Mill Creek Road.
Luna-Trejo failed to stop at the stop sign as she approached Route 173, Covelli said.
As the Hyundai entered the intersection, it was struck by an eastbound Volkswagen GTI, driven by a 39-year-old Lake Villa man.
The three passengers who were in the Hyundai were all injured.
The front seat passenger, a 23-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin woman, was transported to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A backseat passenger, Antonio Luna Barrientos, 76, of Mexico, was transported to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie with major injuries.
Barrientos was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The third passenger, an 18-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin man who was in the backseat, was transported to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie with non-life-threatening injuries.
Luna-Trejo was transported to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Volkswagen was uninjured, Covelli said.
Angelica Cisneros, Barrientos’ daughter, said her father’s biggest wish was to come to the United States and see his kids after more than two decades without seeing them.
Cisneros said her father “touched everyone’s lives.”
Crash investigators recently completed their investigation and reported that Luna-Trejo was at fault.
Luna-Trejo was cited last week for disobeying a stop sign and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
Investigators determined the woman was unfamiliar with the area, which could have contributed to her disobeying the stop sign and colliding with the Volkswagen, Covelli said.
Intoxicating substances were ruled out as a contributing cause of the incident.
Luna-Trejo is scheduled to appear in court on August 30.