3 cited in McHenry crash on Route 31 that injured 8

McHENRY – Three people were cited after a Route 31 crash that sent eight people to the hospital, officials said Thursday.

About 4:30 p.m. Wednesday McHenry police and McHenry Township Fire Protection District paramedics responded to Route 31 and Anne Street for a chain-reaction rear-end collision involving four vehicles, police Cmdr. Tom Walsh said.

Walsh said a 2012 Buick Enclave was traveling north when it struck a 2009 BMW sedan, pushing the sedan into a 2013 Honda Civic, which then struck a 2010 Nissan Rogue.

The driver of the Buick, Shannon Watley, 47, of McHenry, was cited for failure to reduce speed, Walsh said. Vanessa Godwin, 59, of McCullom Lake, who was driving the Nissan, was cited for operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and the driver of the Honda, Troy McClaughry, 18, of McHenry, was cited for driving license suspended, Walsh said.

Police did not cite the 30-year-old McHenry woman driving the BMW, Walsh said.
Walsh said according to the police report, three of the passengers from the BMW, three of the passengers from the Nissan, and the driver of the Honda were taken to an area hospital. McHenry fire officials reported an eighth person also was transported.

Police do not suspect drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. Walsh said everyone involved was wearing their seat belts.

– Katie Dahlstrom