A toddler and an elderly woman are both dead after a two-vehicle crash that resulted in major damage along Route 41 in Highland Park Saturday afternoon.
The Highland Park Police Department and Highland Park Fire Department responded around 3:05 p.m. Saturday to the intersection of Route 41 and Park Avenue West for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
A 911 caller reported that there were people trapped in the wreckage and a baby was unresponsive. A second person was also reported to be unconscious.
Bystanders were reportedly doing CPR on the child, according to fire department radio traffic.
The Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District, Northbrook Fire Department and Glencoe Public Safety Department were dispatched to assist.
Fire crews arrived and reported heavy damage with a person trapped inside one of the cars.
Firefighters and paramedics also reported that two of the victims were unconscious and not breathing, with a third victim down on the ground.
City officials said in a statement that the crash involved two vehicles — a Toyota minivan and a Hyundai sedan.
An investigation showed that a vehicle traveling northbound on Route 41 collided with another vehicle, which was traveling from westbound Park Avenue, attempting to go southbound on Route 41.
Paramedics rushed the two victims who were in traumatic arrest to Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital.
City officials said a third victim was also transported to the hospital.
Fire department radio traffic indicated they were a “yellow” patient, indicating they suffered moderate injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. They were transported to Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital.
Two of the three victims transported to the hospital were pronounced dead, city officials said.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office said those victims were a 1-year-old child from one of the vehicles and a 73-year-old Wilmette woman, who was the driver of another car.
Autopsies are being scheduled on both victims and their identities are temporarily being withheld.
The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was activated and responded to conduct a full crash investigation.
Route 41 at Park Avenue was shut down due to the investigation and a detour at Central Avenue was in place. The road was reopened around 7:30 p.m.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by MCAT and the Highland Park Police Department.