
The sheriff says a McHenry man who was killed in a crash with a Metra train in Ingleside on Monday had driven around the railroad gates that had gone down.
An autopsy performed Monday showed Randy Koppen, 70, of McHenry, died as a result of blunt force injuries in a crash, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Fox Lake Fire Protection District and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7:35 a.m. Monday to the area of Larkin Lane and Wilson Road in Ingleside for a vehicle crash involving a train with injuries.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the incident involved a passenger car and a commuter train.
The car, driven by Koppen, was heavily damaged and came to rest off of the roadway.
Metra reported Train #2124 was involved in the crash and extensive delays were anticipated. Several other scheduled Metra trains were delayed.
Covelli said Wednesday that deputies learned Koppen’s car was traveling southbound on Wilson Road just north of the railroad crossing.
Koppen had stopped his car behind another vehicle.
Witnesses told deputies the railroad gates had activated and went down due to the approaching train, Covelli said.
Koppen then drove around the gates and was struck by the eastbound train, Covelli said.
Koppen was the sole occupant of the car, Banek said. No other injuries were reported.
Deputies shut down Wilson Road between Route 134 and Rollins Road in Ingleside due to the incident.
The roadway was closed for several hours during the investigation, the sheriff’s office said.
The Metra Police Department was notified and responded to handle the investigation.