Sheriff’s officials say a dump truck ran a stop sign and crashed into an SUV on Route 176 in unincorporated Union Thursday morning, causing a woman to be airlifted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts and Union Fire Protection District responded at 10:13 a.m. Thursday to Route 176 and Union Road in unincorporated Union for a two-vehicle crash with injuries.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within four minutes and observed the crash with heavy damage, Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said.
The crash involved a 2021 Dodge Durango and a 2001 International dump truck, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Rescue crews located a female driver – who the sheriff’s office identified as a 29-year-old from Marengo – unconscious and trapped inside the Dodge SUV.
Firefighters quickly worked to extricate the woman and transferred her to an awaiting LifeNet medical helicopter, where she was flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with serious, life-threatening injuries, Vucha said.
Sheriff’s officials said the woman’s condition has since stabilized.
A dog was also inside the SUV but was unharmed, Vucha added.
The male truck driver – identified by the sheriff’s office as a 41-year-old from Mundelein – declined any injuries at the scene.
No one else was injured, Vucha said.
The serious crash prompted Route 176 to be closed between P&O Road and Millstream Road in Union for the investigation.
The preliminary investigation shows the Dodge was traveling westbound on Route 176 and the dump truck was traveling northbound on Union Road.
“The International failed to stop for the posted stop sign at the intersection of Route 176 and struck the Dodge on the driver side of the vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said.
Both vehicles exited the roadway after the collision and came to a rest in upright positions.
Other than the stop sign, sheriff’s officials said there are no traffic control devices at the intersection.
“Both drivers were wearing seatbelts and alcohol is not believed to be a factor of the crash,” the sheriff’s office added.
The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Investigation Unit.