A family has filed a lawsuit against McHenry County alleging the division of transportation failed to create a safe intersection where an 11-year-old Wonder Lake boy, whose “presence lit up every room,” died in a crash near Marengo.
Two separate lawsuits were filed this week in McHenry County Circuit Court by Rockford-based law firm Hampilos & Associates on behalf of Trevor Kroll and Steven Kroll.
The suits name McHenry County and McHenry County Division of Transportation as defendants.
Trevor Kroll is the father of Alan Kroll, 11, of Wonder Lake, who died on June 23, 2025, following a two-vehicle crash in the area of Kishwaukee Valley Road and Deerpass Road in unincorporated Marengo.
Steven Kroll is the boy’s uncle and was driving when the crash occurred.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said at the time that a 2016 Ford Transit Van, driven by an 18-year-old Huntley man, was traveling northbound on Deerpass Road.
The Ford was approaching the intersection with Kishwaukee Valley Road and had a stop sign.
A 2012 Audi Q5, driven by Steven Kroll, who was 29 and a Wonder Lake resident, was traveling eastbound on Kishwaukee Valley Road and did not have a stop sign.
The driver of the Ford failed to yield at the stop sign for unknown reasons, the sheriff’s office said.
A T-bone collision occurred between the Audi and Ford, resulting in the Audi striking a tree on the north side of the roadway.
A medical helicopter was called to the scene for Alan Kroll, who was a passenger in the Audi and suffered critical injuries.
Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said the boy was trapped in the vehicle and the fire department had to extricate him.
He was transported by ambulance, with the MD-1 physician and helicopter crew on board, to Javon Bea Hospital — Riverside in Rockford.
The sheriff’s office said Alan Kroll later died after being transported to the hospital.
The driver of the Ford was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock with minor injuries and was cited for causing the crash.
Steven Kroll was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Airbags deployed in both vehicles and the driver and passenger in the Audi were wearing their seatbelts, the sheriff’s office said. The driver of the Ford was not wearing his seatbelt.
The lawsuits filed this week accuse McHenry County of failing to create or maintain a safe intersection at Kishwaukee Valley Road and Deerpass/Menge Road, which is a four-leg intersection with Kishwaukee Valley Road carrying westbound and eastbound through traffic.
Deerpass Road serves as the northbound, stop-controlled approach to Kishwaukee Valley Road, while Menge Road serves as the corresponding southbound, stop-controlled approach to Kishwaukee Valley Road.
Traffic on Deerpass Road and Menge Road has stop signs at the intersection, while traffic on Kishwaukee Valley Road does not have a traffic control device.
Each road has a 55 mph speed limit, which increases the “foreseeable severity of angle crashes at the intersection,” the lawsuits said.
The suits also say the intersection created a recurring crossing-conflict risk because vehicles traveling southbound and northbound have to stop, recognize the through movement on Kishwaukee Valley Road, and either turn onto or cross Kishwaukee Valley Road, while eastbound and westbound traffic do not stop.
The northbound Deerpass Road approach to the intersection has a grade-related approach condition that creates a visual-perception issue for drivers because the intersection can “appear closer than expected, can appear later than expected, or can become apparent only shortly before a driver reaches the stop sign.”
The lawsuits say the county knew before the crash that the approach involved a grade-related, topographical approach condition that could affect driver recognition of the stop-controlled intersection and had specifically discussed whether it warranted additional “Intersection Ahead” or similar warning treatments.
The lawsuits say the approach on southbound Menge Road at Kishwaukee Valley Road provided better visual warning environment than the other side of the intersection for drivers northbound on Deerpass Road.
There were at least 15 documented vehicle crashes at or near the intersection from January 2016 to June 2025, some serious or fatal and caused in a similar manner as the one that killed the boy.
The lawsuits say the county knew about the recurring collision history and even conducted a 2019 safety review and a 2023 safety review. They initially recommended no changes after the first review but concluded after the second review that signage changes were needed.
MCDOT recommended LED blinking stop signs on both legs of Deerpass Road and Menge Road, as well as large “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs below the LED blinking stop signs.
They also recommended LED blinking cross-road warning signs and auxiliary cross-road warning signs on Kishwaukee Valley Road in advance of Deerpass Road and Menge Road.
The county had notice of the crash pattern by August 2023, including a recent angle crash that had led to another fatality.
MCDOT identified specific additional safety measures but failed to timely remedy the situation before the June 23, 2025, crash.
“The County Defendants’ course of conduct showed an utter indifference to or conscious disregard for the safety of motorists and passengers, including the Plaintiff,” the suit said, adding that the county has still not installed transverse rumble strips on northbound Deerpass Road.
McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett asked the community to pray for Kroll’s family after the crash and said the boy was “always full of joy.”
The boy’s mother, Breanna Tessier, said her son was “such an amazing person.”
He loved going to the park and running around with his two brothers, Jayce and Charlie.
“Walking around the square in Woodstock, ending at the candy shop there so he could pick some candy out. Alan loved mint chocolate chip ice cream. We would often end up going to Dunkin Donuts in Woodstock to grab a giant chocolate and sprinkle dipped cone,” Tessier said.
“His brothers miss him deeply and we will always keep his memory alive by going to rush creek in Harvard for his birthday to fish,” she said.
A large number of people gathered for wiffle ball games and lunch at the McHenry VFW following Alan Kroll’s funeral services as part of a celebration of life in June 2025.
Children who attended were asked to wear their favorite jersey in honor of the boy.
An obituary for Kroll said he was “taken from us too soon.”
“A beloved friend to many, he earned the admiration of his peers and teammates, cherishing deep, lasting friendships throughout his unforgettable life,” the obituary said.
McHenry Cobras Travel Baseball said Kroll was one of their athletes on the 12U team.
“We are devastated by the tragic loss of one of our athletes. Please keep our 12U team, their families, and all of us in the Cobras family in your thoughts and prayers,” the team said.
“Alan was truly extraordinary—his presence lit up every room he found himself in. He was a proud athlete who loved playing baseball and basketball, skiing, fishing, and riding his dirt bike and ATVs with fearless joy,” his obituary said.
The obituary said that Kroll showed “kindness, gratitude, and a warm embrace for everyone he met.”
“Though his time was far too short, his joy, love, and creativity will forever shine in our hearts. He is now in the arms of God, watching over us as our guardian angel from above,” the obituary added.
Montini Catholic School in McHenry said Kroll was a sixth-grader at the school.
“Alan was truly extraordinary. His presence lit up every room, his laugh was infectious, and his adventurous spirit knew no bounds. A proud Mustang, Alan found joy in every moment—whether he was tearing up the baseball field, holding the door open for others, fishing quietly by the water, or flying across trails on his dirt bike and ATV. He was fearless, curious, and full of life,” the school said in a statement.
The lawsuit filed by Trevor Kroll, who is a representative of his son’s estate, brings wrongful death and survival claims, including grief, loss of companionship and funeral expenses.
The second suit filed by Steven Kroll seeks damages only for his own injuries, including the psychological trauma of witnessing his nephew’s death.
Both cases are seeking unspecified damages exceeding $50,000 and requesting jury trials. An initial scheduling conference is set for September 21.