The coroner released the identity of a 92-year-old man fatally struck by a train Friday evening while trying to cross the tracks to attend the Antioch High School football game.
An autopsy performed Tuesday showed Wayne Blanchette, 92, of Antioch, died as a result of blunt force injuries, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Antioch Fire Protection District and Antioch Police Department responded around 7:10 p.m. Friday to Route 173 east of Route 83 for a report of a train-involved crash with injuries.
Officers arrived to find a male pedestrian, later identified as Blanchette, who had been struck by a train at the Canadian Pacific railroad crossing.
Blanchette was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Village of Antioch Communication Manager Jim Moran.
Moran said Blanchette was crossing the tracks on the pedestrian crossing attempting to enter the football stadium when he was struck by the train.
The train was a Metra NCS line train that was scheduled to arrive at the Antioch station at 7:15 p.m.
Officers shut down Route 173 between Route 83 and McMillan Road for several hours.
A preliminary investigation showed the crossing gates were functioning properly, Moran said.
Multiple police departments and the Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene.
Antioch Community School District 117 Superintendent Dr. Jeff Feucht said in an email to parents that the incident happened at the entrance to the Antioch Community High School stadium.
Feucht said no students were injured and the football game was happening when the incident occurred.
The game continued as scheduled but traffic was impacted on Route 173, Feucht said.
Families picking up students from the game were asked to go to the athletic entrance of the school.
The Metra train involved was stopped for two hours and resumed travel just after 9 p.m.
The incident remains under investigation by the Antioch Police Department, Lake County Coroner’s Office and Metra Police Department.