Two moped riders were rushed to the hospital with critical and life-threatening injuries after crashing with a sedan in Wadsworth Sunday afternoon, the sheriff said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Newport Township Fire Protection District responded around 1:45 p.m. Sunday to Delany Road and August Zupec Drive in Wadsworth for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Deputies and firefighter/medics arrived to find a Honda PCX150 moped and a Chevrolet Malibu sedan involved in the crash.
The moped had heavy damage, and its two riders were unconscious in the roadway, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said.
Ambulances from the Newport Township Fire Protection District and Beach Park Fire Department rushed both riders to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with critical and life-threatening injuries.
A preliminary investigation shows the moped was being driven by a 35-year-old man, with a 32-year-old woman as the passenger, Covelli said.
The moped was traveling northbound on Delany Road approaching August Zupec Drive.
“The operator appeared to slow in preparation for a left turn onto August Zupec Drive,” Covelli said.
The Chevrolet, driven by a 24-year-old woman with a 49-year-old woman as the passenger, was traveling northbound on Delany Road behind the moped.
The Chevrolet “swerved into the southbound lane of Delany Road and struck the moped as it was turning left onto August Zupec Drive,” Covelli said.
The collision threw both the man and woman off the moped and into the roadway.
Neither the driver nor the passenger of the Chevrolet was injured, Covelli said.
The Chevrolet appeared to have minor damage to its passenger side.
The crash left debris, a helmet, shoes and clothing scattered in the intersection of Delany Road and August Zupec Drive.
Due to the severity of the crash, the Lake County Sheriff’s Technical Crash Investigations Team responded to conduct an accident investigation.
Delany Road between West Adams Road and Wadsworth Road was shut down for the afternoon while investigators worked the scene.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Deputy Unit assisted with traffic control and road closures.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Technical Crash Investigations Team.