File Photo – Gurnee Fire Department | Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

A woman is in critical condition after she was pinned between two cars while inspecting damage at a minor crash after a third vehicle slammed into the scene in Gurnee.

The Gurnee Police Department responded around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday to Grand Avenue near Lawson Boulevard for a two-vehicle crash.

Gurnee Police Department Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said a 2008 Chrysler minivan and a 2019 BMW X3 were involved in a minor collision.

A 44-year-old Gurnee woman exited the BMW to inspect the damage before officers arrived, Gaylor said.

She was standing between the back end of the BMW and the front bumper of the Chrysler when a third vehicle, a 2009 Nissan sedan, collided with the back of the Chrysler.

Gaylor said the collision pinned the 44-year-old woman between two cars and left her with severe injuries.

Bystanders stopped and rendered first aid by applying tourniquets to her legs after noticing the woman lying on the pavement.

[Suggested Article]  Lake Zurich police officer suffers extensive injuries, flown to hospital after crash on way to work

Officers and paramedics arrived moments later to take over lifesaving measures, Gaylor said.

The 44-year-old woman was transported by the Gurnee Fire Department to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.

Gaylor said investigators learned the first collision between the BMW and the Chrysler took place in the eastbound lanes of Grand Avenue at the Lawson Boulevard intersection.

The initial collision resulted in only minor damage to the vehicles involved.

Gaylor said the driver of the Nissan that caused the secondary crash “inadvertently” collided with the Chrysler after failing to recognize the Chrysler and BMW were stopped.

Eastbound Grand Avenue was closed for three hours while the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) conducted a crash investigation.

The crash remains under investigation by the Gurnee Police Department and MCAT.

[Suggested Article]  Woman dies after being struck by multiple vehicles that left scene in Waukegan