The coroner has released the identity of a 95-year-old man who died after an SUV slammed into the rear of his broken-down car that he was working on and crashed into a school bus in Deer Park Tuesday.
An autopsy performed Wednesday showed that Richard A. Krzysztofiak, 95, of Palatine, died as a result of blunt force injuries as a result of a vehicle crash, according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Lake Cook Road and Quentin Road in Deer Park for a motorist assist call.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said a call was received for a disabled vehicle.
The sheriff’s office, moments later, began receiving 911 calls reporting a serious vehicle crash at the same location, prompting the response of the Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department, Palatine Fire Department and Countryside Fire Protection District.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and discovered Krzysztofiak deceased in the roadway, along with two heavily damaged vehicles, Covelli said.
A preliminary investigation shows a westbound 2006 Honda Accord broke down and was disabled in a westbound lane of Lake Cook Road just east of Quentin Road.
Covelli said Krzysztofiak got out of the Honda, which was in the center lane between the left turn lane and the outside through lane.
Witnesses reported Krzysztofiak was looking under the engine area of his Honda.
A westbound 2024 Honda HR-V, driven by a 30-year-old Cary man, struck the Honda Accord from behind.
Krzysztofiak suffered major injuries and died at the scene, Covelli said.
The driver of the Honda HR-V was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A passenger in the Honda HR-V, a 30-year-old Arlington Heights woman, was also transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Covelli said a 77-year-old Barrington woman was sitting in the passenger seat of the broken-down Honda Accord when it was struck.
She also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital.
A school bus, which was only occupied by the driver, was waiting to turn left onto southbound Quentin Road from westbound Lake Cook Road.
The bus was sideswiped during the crash, Covelli said. The driver of the school bus was uninjured.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team.