A man was left in critical condition after a single-vehicle crash into a tree that shut down Route 176 near Marengo for several hours Saturday morning.
The Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts, Union Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7:23 a.m. Saturday to the area of Route 176 and Millstream Road in unincorporated Marengo for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Firefighters and paramedics arrived within six minutes and located a single-vehicle crash along Route 176 just west of the intersection, according to Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.
A Ford Mustang sustained heavy damage after colliding with a tree.
Vucha said initial reports indicated that the male driver had been ejected.
It was later determined that he was not ejected from the vehicle during the crash.
A medical helicopter was initially requested but due to a lengthy estimated arrival time, the driver was transported by ambulance to Javon Bea Hospital — Riverside in Rockford with critical injuries, Vucha said.
Mercyhealth MD-1, a mobile medical doctor, was requested and intercepted the ambulance on the way to the hospital to provide additional medical care.
Vucha said Route 176 was shut down in both directions for approximately three and a half hours before reopening.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash and has not yet released information.