Crash victims in fair condition after weekend fatal crash

BYRON – Two people were in fair condition Monday at a Rockford hospital in the wake of a collision early Saturday that left an Ogle County sheriff’s lieutenant dead.

Randall L. “Randy” Hilliard, 50, of Byron, was eastbound about 1:30 a.m. on state Route 72 when his pickup crossed the center line near Oak Court, about midway between Byron and Stillman Valley, and he hit a westbound SUV head-on, State Police said.

Hilliard, who was off duty, died at the scene.

The SUV driver, Rick A. Sgro, 51, of Oregon, and his passenger, daughter Allison R. Sgro, 24, of Mount Morris, are being treated at SwedishAmerican Hospital, he for a broken leg and wrist and she for a broken back and internal injuries; both require surgery.

Another daughter, Abigail E. Sgro, 20, also of Mount Morris, and a third passenger, Daniel W. Merritt, 20, of Gering, Nebraska, who was taken to MercyHealth Hospital – Rockton Avenue in Rockford, were discharged Saturday.

All four were on their way home from a White Sox game in Chicago, family said in a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical expenses. Abigail Sgro and Merritt are in the Air Force, stationed in southern Illinois.

The crash is under investigation by the Illinois State Police.

Hilliard was hired as a correctional officer in 1991, promoted to sergeant, and then lieutenant, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Rockford. Visitation also begins at 10 and the funeral at 11 a.m. Friday at City First Church in Rockford.

The complete obituary will be posted at fitzgeraldfuneralhome.com.

TO HELP

Go to gofundme.com/sgro-family-car-accident to help the Sgro family pay medical expenses.