Officer Steve Cascio, a six-year veteran of the Lake Zurich Police Department, suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash at Barreville Road and Wright Road in Prairie Grove on Sunday morning while on his way to work. | Provided Photos

A Lake Zurich police officer has a “long recovery” ahead after he was seriously injured and flown to the hospital in a “catastrophic” crash on his way to work.

The incident happened around 6:18 a.m. Sunday in the area of Barreville Road and Wright Road in Prairie Grove.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District and McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded to the scene and located a single-vehicle crash just north of the intersection.

Nunda Rural Fire Protection District Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said the vehicle reportedly left the roadway before colliding with a tree, Vucha said.

The driver of the truck was identified as Steve Cascio, a six-year veteran of the Lake Zurich Police Department.

Cascio was heavily entrapped inside the Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Firefighters worked to extricate Cascio, which took over 45 minutes to complete.

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Vucha said the driver suffered serious injuries and was airlifted by a LifeNet medical helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office shut down the roadway for several hours during a crash investigation.

Barreville Road between Wright Road and Gracy Road was reopened at 12 p.m. Sunday.

Cascio was on the way to work at the Lake Zurich Police Department at the time of the crash.

Adam Young, a police officer and co-worker of Cascio, called the crash “catastrophic” and said Cascio suffered a compound fracture to his shin and fractures to his right knee, femur, arm and ribs.

Cascio will require extensive hospitalization and has a long recovery ahead.

He is the husband to a stay-at-home mom who cares for their two young children.

“He is a great friend and an active member of his church. He is assigned to the Traffic Safety Division, is a field training officer, and a peer support member,” Young said.

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Young created a fundraiser to raise money to support the family with their living expenses. The fundraiser has already collected over $27,000.