Sheriff’s officials say a driver has been cited after running a stop sign and causing a two-vehicle crash that left five people hospitalized, resulting in heavy damage and shutting down Route 23 near Marengo.
The Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:19 a.m. Sunday to the intersection of North Route 23 and River Road in unincorporated Marengo for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said fire crews arrived a short time later and located a two-vehicle crash with heavy damage.
A blue 2024 Hyundai Elantra was found in the roadway and the second vehicle, a dark-colored 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, had left the roadway and came to rest in a ditch.
The car off the roadway was entangled in a utility pole wire, Vucha said.
All occupants of the two cars had removed themselves prior to the fire department arriving.
An investigation showed the Volkswagen was traveling southbound on Route 23 when the Hyundai, which was traveling eastbound on River Road, failed to stop at the stop sign, according to McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Katie Wendt.
The Hyundai entered the intersection and the Volkswagen struck the Hyundai, resulting in the Volkswagen exiting the roadway to the southeast where it hit the support wire for the utility pole, Wendt said.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a 27-year-old Marengo woman, was transported to Mercyhealth Hospital in Harvard with non-life-threatening injuries.
Wendt said the passenger of the Volkswagen, a 29-year-old Harvard man, was also transported to Mercyhealth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 22-year-old Machesney Park woman, was transported to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Hyundai’s two passengers, an 18-year-old Machesney Park woman and a juvenile, were also transported to Northwestern Huntley with non-life-threatening injuries, Wendt said.
Vucha said the incident was upgraded to a “Working EMS” response and then through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) for numerous ambulances to the scene to transport the victims.
Route 23 was shut down in both directions for approximately an hour while emergency personnel treated patients, mitigated hazards and coordinated vehicle removal from the scene, Vucha said.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts was assisted by the Boone County Fire Protection District #2, Genoa Kingston Fire Protection District, Harvard Fire Protection District, Huntley Fire Protection District and Union Fire Protection District.
The driver of the Hyundai was cited for failure to yield at a stop intersection, Wendt said.