The coroner has released the identity of a 29-year-old woman who died after an SUV crashed head-on into her vehicle, leaving another woman and two children seriously injured in Gurnee Sunday evening.
An autopsy performed Monday showed Bria Allen, 29, of Evanston, died as a result of blunt force injuries from a vehicle crash, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Gurnee Police Department and Gurnee Fire Department responded around 9 p.m. Sunday to Grand Avenue over Interstate 94 for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Police officers were on the scene first, reporting serious injuries, according to fire department radio traffic.
Gurnee Police Department Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said a preliminary investigation shows a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban was traveling westbound on Grand Avenue in the center lane when the driver attempted to change lanes.
“Due to the winter weather conditions at the time, the vehicle is believed to have struck a patch of ice, causing it to lose control, cross over the center median, and enter the eastbound lanes of traffic,” Gaylor said.
The Chevrolet crashed head-on into a 2007 Ford Focus, which was traveling eastbound on Grand Avenue.
The crash forced the Ford off Grand Avenue and into a ditch off the I-94 cloverleaf.
Allen, who was driving the Ford, was pronounced dead at the scene, Gaylor said.
The passengers in the Ford – a 29-year-old Waukegan woman along with her 5-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter – were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Gaylor said on Monday morning that the current conditions of the three passengers are unknown, but Gurnee Battalion Fire Chief Tim Steffens said Sunday evening that the three suffered serious injuries.
The driver and passengers of the Chevrolet were not injured, Gaylor said.
A Toyota Highlander was also involved in the crash while it was traveling eastbound on Grand Avenue alongside the Ford.
The Toyota hit debris from the collision and sustained a flat tire. The occupants of the Toyota were not injured.
A total of four ambulances, two fire engines, and a battalion fire chief responded to the crash.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) responded to the scene to conduct a crash investigation due to the severity of the crash.
Grand Avenue between Tri State Parkway and Dilleys Road was shut down for hours until around 3:30 a.m. while investigators worked the scene.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Deputy Unit and Libertyville Police Department assisted with traffic control and road closures.
The crash remains under investigation by the Gurnee Police Department and MCAT.