The medical examiner has identified a 25-year-old Crystal Lake woman who died after she crashed her car, leaving it split into pieces and nearly unrecognizable, as her close friend calls it a “tragic loss.”
The Hoffman Estates Fire Department and Hoffman Estates Police Department responded around 6:51 p.m. Friday to the area of Barrington Road and Higgins Road for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Officers arrived and found a single-vehicle crash just north of Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center.
The crash occurred by the Barrington Road Pond of the Arthur L. Janura Preserve along Barrington Road south of Higgins Road.
Police officials said paramedics transported a woman across the street to Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified her on Wednesday as Lora Reeser, 25, of Crystal Lake.
Reeser was pronounced dead at the hospital from her injuries and was the only occupant of her car, police officials said.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which involved the car hitting a utility pole.
Reeser’s car was split into multiple pieces during the impact of the crash, which left the main body of the car with major damage.
Brianna Scott said Reeser was “funny, full of life and had so many goals for life” and her death was a “tragic loss” that has left her friends and family devastated.
Scott told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that Reeser was her friend since high school and also lived in her parents’ house so she was like family.
A GoFundMe account has already raised over $14,000, surpassing the $13,000 goal for funeral expenses. Scott says that the expenses could exceed the originally set fundraising goal of $13,000.
“We will miss her smile and laughter so much. Words cannot describe the pain and sadness we feel, but it brings us peace to know we can lay her to rest properly,” Scott said.
Barrington Road was shut down in both directions from Golf Road to Higgins Road for several hours on Friday evening.
The crash investigation is being led by the Hoffman Estates Police Traffic Unit, which has not released information on what may have caused the crash.
Anyone who has information or witnessed the crash is asked to contact Hoffman Estates Police Sgt. Adam Marak at 847-781-2846 or [email protected].