Four people were transported to the hospital after police say a car crashed into a village public works tractor and then crashed head-on into a truck on Route 31 in Prairie Grove, outside of Crystal Lake.
The Prairie Grove Police Department and Nunda Rural Fire Protection District responded around 10:14 a.m. Tuesday to the area of Route 31 and Gracy Road for a vehicle crash with injuries.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department also responded to assist.
Prairie Grove Police Chief Michael Goins said a preliminary investigation revealed that a Village of Prairie Grove tractor was cutting the grass on the east side of Route 31.
The tractor, operated by a Village of Prairie Grove Public Works employee, was on the right shoulder of the road traveling northbound.
A gray Mercedes, driven by a 19-year-old man, was driving northbound on Route 31 and struck the rear of the tractor, Goins said.
The gray Mercedes veered into oncoming traffic and struck head-on a silver Ford pickup truck, driven by an 81-year-old man, that was driving southbound on Route 31.
Goins said the silver Ford struck a black Mercedes, driven by an 82-year-old woman, in a minor sideswipe collision as the black Mercedes was driving northbound on Route 31.
The drivers of all three passenger vehicles were transported by ambulances to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The public works employee in the tractor later went to the hospital to be evaluated, Goins said.
Route 31 was shut down for approximately an hour and a half before being reopened to traffic around 11:45 a.m.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation since the crash involved a Village of Prairie Grove vehicle.