The coroner has released the identity of a Mundelein man in his 40s who died after an SUV turned in front of his oncoming motorcycle, causing a three-vehicle crash in Mettawa Monday evening.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District and Libertyville Fire Department responded around 8:50 p.m. Monday to the area of Route 60 and Saint Mary’s Road in Mettawa for a vehicle crash with injuries.
Initial 911 callers reported a motorcycle-involved crash with the victim not conscious and not breathing, according to fire department radio traffic.
Fire crews arrived and reported CPR was in progress on the unresponsive victim.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified him on Tuesday as Michael Swidrak, 43, of Mundelein.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said sheriff’s deputies arrived and found a three-vehicle crash.
The driver of a 2022 Honda Motorcycle, identified as Swidrak, was unconscious and not breathing.
Covelli said lifesaving efforts were attempted at the scene by first responders but Swidrak was pronounced dead at the scene.
A preliminary investigation shows the Honda motorcycle was traveling westbound on Route 60.
The Honda proceeded through a green light at the intersection with Saint Mary’s Road.
A 2024 Chevrolet Trax, driven by a 55-year-old Waukegan woman, was traveling eastbound on Route 60 and made a left turn onto northbound Saint Mary’s Road in front of the motorcycle, Covelli said.
Swidrak was unable to avoid the collision and struck the passenger side of the Chevrolet.
The collision caused Swidrak to be ejected from the motorcycle.
The motorcycle then struck a Hyundai SUV, which was facing southbound on Saint Mary’s Road, Covelli said. None of the three occupants in the Hyundai were injured.
The driver of the Chevrolet suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Lake Forest. She is cooperating with the investigation, Covelli said.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and an autopsy was performed on Swidrak on Tuesday.
It confirmed he died as a result of blunt force injuries from the crash, Banek said.
The intersection of Route 60 and Saint Mary’s Road was completely shut down for several hours.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team.