McHenry County Sheriff officials announced a suspected vehicle in the fatal hit-and-run crash that killed a 15-year-old boy near Crystal Lake has been located.
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office located a vehicle believed to be involved in the fatal hit-and-run crash in unincorporated Crystal Lake on July 2, officials said in a news release Saturday morning.
At this time, there are no additional suspects and no charges have been filed, the release states.
Sheriff officials also thanked the community for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
Nicholas Laureys, 15, was riding his bike with a friend when a vehicle struck him from behind on Terra Cotta Road near Deering Oaks Road at about 9:34 p.m. Wednesday.
Laureys 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, officials said.
The child’s bicycle, along with the second bicycle, was seen lying in the ditch along Terra Cotta Road after the crash.
The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, prompting McHenry County Sheriff officials to seek a dark-colored (red) 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee they believed was involved in the crash.
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.
Family members of the teen released the identity of the victim to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.
Mother Jill Laureys said her son, Nicholas, was coming home on his bike from fishing with 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.”
Uncle Lance Laureys told the Scanner early Sunday morning that “It’s killing me inside that someone did this.”
Jill Laureys said Nicholas Laureys is the oldest of her three children.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Unit responded to the scene Wednesday night to conduct a crash reconstruction.
Officials said the bicycle had an activated red taillight at the time it was struck.
McHenry County Coroner officials said toxicology is currently pending, but initial autopsy results show the teen was killed due to blunt force trauma experienced in the hit-and-run.
Terra Cotta Road was shut down following the crash between East Hillside Road and Old Westbury Road for several hours. The roadway was reopened around 2:20 a.m. Thursday.