The 37-year-old driver of a silver KIA was heading eastbound on Sunset Avenue Wednesday morning when his vehicle swerved into westbound lanes and slammed head-on into a brown Chevrolet Equinox near Kellogg Avenue, Waukegan Police said in a news release Friday.
A 4-year-old child, later identified by Lake County Coroner officials as Kaleb Hardge of Zion, was killed in the crash due to blunt force trauma, authorities said.
Waukegan police and fire were called to the intersection of Sunset and Kellogg avenues at at 8:16 a.m. Wednesday and saw heavy damage from the two vehicles, authorities said.
Kaleb was suffering from severe injuries, authorities said, and officers began giving CPR to the child until Waukegan paramedics arrived on scene.
Everyone involved in the accident were transported to area hospitals for treatment for injuries they sustained in the crash, authorities said.
Kaleb was pronounced dead in the emergency room due to the injuries he sustained despite sitting in child booster seat, authorities said.
The 37-year-old driver of the Equinox, from Zion, sustained a laceration and head trauma and was treated at an area hospital, authorities said.
The driver of the KIA is cooperating with police during the investigation, authorities said, and initial toxicology results revealed no signs of drugs or alcohol.
The Kia driver, from Waukegan, stated he was having a medical episode and may have passed out behind the wheel, authorities said.
He underwent surgery for injuries sustained from the accident, authorities said.
The crash remains under investigation by the Waukegan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit.