A woman was left critically injured and flown to the hospital following a three-vehicle crash that left two others seriously injured near Woodstock Tuesday afternoon.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 4:18 p.m. Tuesday to the 15200 block of Kishwaukee Valley Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a vehicle crash.
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said 911 callers reported that a vehicle was smoking and the driver was trapped inside, prompting an upgraded response.
Firefighters arrived within six minutes and found a three-vehicle crash with heavy damage.
Vucha said an adult female driver was injured and trapped and two other people were also injured but not trapped in the wreckage.
An additional ambulance was requested from the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts to assist due to multiple victims.
Crews worked in coordination for nearly 30 minutes to extricate the adult female driver, Vucha said.
A medical helicopter was called and the woman was transferred by ambulance to the awaiting helicopter at Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital.
She was then airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, a Level 1 trauma center, with critical injuries.
Vucha said an adult passenger, who was in the car with the driver who was trapped, as well as another driver were transported by ambulance to local hospitals with serious injuries.
The third driver involved declined medical attention.
“We appreciate the assistance provided by the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department, Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, and Wonder Lake Fire Protection District,” Vucha said, adding that other calls for service were happening simultaneously in Woodstock’s fire district.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash.