Funeral services are set for a 44-year-old Mundelein man who died after he crashed head-on into another car in Kildeer as his family remembers him for his “charismatic spirit and generous heart.”
The Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department and Kildeer Police Department responded around 12:45 a.m. on December 13 to the area of Route 22 and Quentin Road in Kildeer for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Fire crews arrived and reported finding a two-vehicle head-on crash with heavy damage and entrapment east of the intersection.
Kildeer Chief of Police Steve Balinski said the crash occurred on Route 22 between Sanctuary Club Drive and South Krueger Road.
A preliminary investigation showed that a Kia was traveling eastbound on Route 22.
A BMW was traveling westbound on Route 22 when the Kia crossed into the opposite lanes and caused the head-on crash, Balinski said.
Balinski said the driver of the Kia suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the driver of the Kia as Matthew Padour, 44, of Mundelein.
The driver of the BMW, a 39-year-old Schaumburg woman, suffered minor injuries and was transported to the hospital.
An autopsy performed on Padour showed he died as a result of blunt force injuries from the crash, Banek said.
An obituary for Padour said he was known for his “charismatic spirit and generous heart.”
“A loyal and devoted friend, he had a natural gift for turning friendships into family. He loved sports, especially his Chicago teams, but never hesitated to quietly support his sister’s Jayhawks,” his obituary said.
“His warmth, humor, and presence will be deeply missed, and though his life ended too soon, his impact will remain forever,” the obituary added. Padour leaves behind his parents and sister.
Lake Barrington Steakhouse said Padour was “someone very dear to us” and worked at the restaurant as a bartender.
“He will forever be remembered for the long conversations, pride in his work, creative cocktails and love for sports. Our sincerest condolences go out to Matthew’s beautiful family and friends,” Lake Barrington Steakhouse said.
A memorial mass is set for 10 a.m. on January 3 for Padour at Santa Maria del Popolo in Mundelein. A private family interment will be held at Ascension Catholic Cemetery in Libertyville.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was called to the scene to conduct a crash reconstruction and investigation.
“It is too early in the investigation to determine if the driver of the KIA vehicle was impaired or experienced any type of a medical condition,” Balinski said.
Route 22 was completely shut down for at least six hours during the investigation.
The incident remains under investigation by the Kildeer Police Department and MCAT.