State police have cited two drivers who caused separate crashes minutes apart on Interstate 90 that left a man heavily entrapped with critical injuries and a second man with serious injuries near Huntley.
The Huntley Fire Protection District and Illinois State Police (ISP) responded around 5:10 p.m. Thursday to eastbound Interstate 90 at mile marker 48 for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Fire crews responding came upon a second crash around 5:17 p.m., roughly a mile west of the first crash, at mile marker 47 and diverted additional fire units, which arrived within two minutes.
Firefighters reported a heavily damaged vehicle in the middle lane with the adult male driver trapped inside, fire officials said.
State police said the driver, a 50-year-old Chicago man, was operating a 2023 Mercedes-Benz Metris.
A medical helicopter was requested to the scene but was unavailable due to weather conditions.
Firefighters worked for approximately 35 minutes to free the heavily trapped victim.
Fire officials said he was transported by ambulance to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin with life-threatening injuries.
Emergency crews learned at the scene that a second vehicle, possibly a semi-truck, may have been involved in the crash.
Firefighters did not locate or make contact with any additional vehicles or drivers but ISP made contact with the second driver and vehicle, a 52-year-old Hanover Park man who was operating a semi-tractor-trailer truck.
The Mercedes-Benz struck the rear of the semi-trailer.
ISP said the ramp from Route 47 to Interstate 90 eastbound was shut down and the right three lanes of eastbound Interstate 90 were also shut down for five hours before being reopened around 10 p.m.
State police said Monday that the driver of the Mercedes-Benz was issued citations for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
At the scene of the first crash at mile marker 48, two vehicles, a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Mertz and a 2013 Toyota Camry, were involved and both were only occupied by their drivers.
A 25-year-old Villa Park man, who was driving the Toyota, was transported to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin in serious condition, ISP and fire officials said.
A 53-year-old Mount Prospect man, who was driving the Mercedes-Benz, declined additional medical treatment.
The left two lanes of traffic were closed for nearly an hour while emergency crews operated at the scene, ISP said.
State police said the driver of the Mercedes-Benz was issued citations for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and improper lane usage.
The Huntley Fire Protection District said they thank the Illinois Tollway Authority HELP trucks, an off-duty Sleepy Hollow police officer and the Illinois State Police for their assistance.
“We also appreciate the Hampshire Fire Protection District for covering additional incidents in our District during this time,” fire officials said.