McHenry County Sheriff officials continue to investigate the death of a 15-year-old teen who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver near Crystal Lake late Wednesday night.
Sheriff’s officials released information Thursday regarding the vehicle that fled the scene after fatally striking the teen from behind as he and another boy rode their bicycles in the southbound lane of Terra Cotta Road near Deering Oaks Road at approximately 9:34 p.m. Wednesday.
The teen died after he was struck from behind by what is possibly a dark colored (red) 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee, sheriff officials said.
The sheriff’s office is asking the public and local body shops and/or dealerships to contact them at (815) 338-2144 if they come across any similar vehicle with front-end damage.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit said they have been working closely with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and McHenry County Coroner’s Office to identify the driver of the vehicle.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office were called to the roadway for the crash with injuries after a 911 caller reported a juvenile had been struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle.
The child was initially reported to be unresponsive, and deputies reported he was deceased and performing lifesaving measures.
A LifeNet medical helicopter was placed on standby but later canceled.
The teen was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry where he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
Mother Jill Laureys said her son, Nicholas, 15, was coming home on his bike from fishing with a couple of friends when a vehicle “hit him and took off from the scene.”
“He was only a block away from his Uncle’s house, where he currently lives,” the mother said in a message to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner on Thursday. “I miss him so freaking much.”
Jill Laureys said Nicholas Laureys is the oldest of her three children.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Unit responded to conduct a crash reconstruction.
The bicycle that was struck had an activated red taillight at the time.
McHenry County Coroner Michael Rein said in a news release Thursday that the coroner’s office was contacted by the hospital Wednesday at about 11:00 p.m. to investigate the death of a minor.
Rein said the minor was transported to Northwestern Hospital McHenry after reportedly being involved in a motor vehicle incident while riding a bicycle
Rein did not release the identity of the teen, but said preliminary findings from an autopsy Thursday showed blunt force injuries as the cause of death.
He said toxicology is currently pending.
Investigators were seen taking photographs of the scene.
The child’s bicycle, along with the second bicycle, was seen lying in the ditch along Terra Cotta Road.
Terra Cotta Road was shut down between East Hillside Road and Old Westbury Road for several hours and reopened around 2:20 a.m.
Rein said the McHenry County Coroner’s Office continues to work with the McHenry County Sheriff and the Crystal Lake Fire Protection District regarding the incident.