Two people escaped without injuries after a semi-truck rolled over off Route 47 in Woodstock amid snow-covered roadways and high winds that created hazardous travel conditions in McHenry County.
Alex Vucha, the Public Information Officer for the Woodstock, Harvard and Huntley fire districts, said snow and ice-covered roadways, combined with strong winds, created hazardous travel conditions across McHenry County on Monday.
The conditions persisted through the morning commute and into the late morning hours.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies handled several weather-related crashes as conditions continued to deteriorate, Vucha said.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded around 4 a.m. to a commercial truck rollover just north of the intersection of Route 47 and Ware Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
The truck was hauling grain and no additional hazards were observed, Vucha said.
Two occupants were evaluated by paramedics and refused further medical treatment.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to two additional crashes within the Woodstock area by noon Monday but no serious injuries were reported.
The Huntley Fire Protection District responded to five separate vehicle crashes throughout the morning, including at Harmony Road and South Grant Highway, eastbound Interstate 90 at the 42-mile marker, eastbound Interstate 90 at the 51-mile marker, Route 47 and Mill Street, and eastbound Interstate 90 at the 47.25-mile marker.
Vucha said firefighters reported road conditions were less than ideal, with snowplows having difficulty keeping up due to the high winds and rapidly drifting snow.
The Harvard Fire Protection District and Harvard Police Department responded around 5:55 a.m. near the intersection of Route 14, also known as Division Street, and McGuire Road for a vehicle crash.
Fire crews arrived within minutes and found a vehicle that was off the roadway. The car had sustained minor damage.
Vucha said firefighters and paramedics located an adult female driver inside the car who was unconscious and not breathing. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Vucha said the cause of her death remains under investigation by the Harvard Police Department.
Harvard Deputy Police Chief Carmen Sacco said the victim was a 60-year-old Marengo woman.
The McHenry County Coroner’s Office was notified and they will be conducting an autopsy on her on Tuesday, Sacco said.
“Strong winds continue to impact the area, causing snow to drift and road conditions to change rapidly. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution, reduce speeds, and allow additional travel time,” Vucha said.
“Emergency responders continue to monitor conditions and respond to weather related incidents as they occur,” he added.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said the intersection of O’Brien Road and Alden Road outside of Harvard was shut down after live power lines came down, requiring ComEd to respond and repair the wires. The intersection was reopened around 6 a.m.