Elgin man identified in fatal crash involving semi on Illinois Route 23 near Genoa

GENOA – An Elgin man has been identified after a fatal crash involving an SUV he was riding in and a semi-trailer truck along Illinois Route 23 in Genoa Township Friday, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

Pastor N. Rodriguez, 40, of the 600 block of Wellington Avenue in Elgin, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash which occurred before 1 p.m. Friday, sheriff’s officials said.

Rodriguez was the passenger in a maroon Ford Expedition SUV driven by Alfonso M. Gallardo, 31, of the 200 block of Pearcy Street in Elgin, who was also injured in the crash, that occurred near Rt. 23 and Baseline Road.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, Gallardo was driving the Expedition westbound on Baseline Road around 12:48 p.m. Friday, when the SUV failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Baseline and Rt. 23.

The Expedition was struck by a semi-trailer truck coming southbound, driven by Herbert T. Harbison, 75, of the 600 block of South Blair Street, Morning Sun, Iowa. Harbison was driving a 2018 Mack semi, according to the sheriff’s office.

The collision injured both drivers and killed Rodriguez, the passenger in the Expedition.

Gallardo was trapped inside the SUV and had to be extricated by emergency teams from Genoa-Kingston and Sycamore fire departments, sheriff’s officials said. He was flown by helicopter to OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital in Rockford, where he remains. The sheriff’s department did not release information on his condition. Harbison was taken by Hampshire paramedics in an ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb where he was treated and released.

Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office.

The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff’s department, the coroner’s office, and the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to the release. No arrests or charges in the matter have been announced as of Sunday.

Sheriff’s officials closed Rt. 23 between Baseline Road and Ellen Drive for about three hours Friday, DeKalb County Sheriff Andy Sullivan said.