Update: Driver cited in crash that killed 13 year-old Yorkville boy

Illinois State Police have ticketed one of the drivers involved in a motor vehicle crash that resulted in the death of a 13 year-old Yorkville boy earlier this week.

In a press statement, state police said they cited Santos C. Martinez, 22, of Aurora with improper lane usage in connection with the two-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2, on Route 71 near Ravine Court in unincorporated Kendall Township.

The Kendall County Coroner’s Office reported that a passenger in one of the vehicles, Joseph Burdiak, 13, of Sutton Street, Yorkville, was pronounced dead at the crash scene.

According state police, the crash occurred when Martinez’s 2012 Ford pickup truck, which was traveling westbound on Route 71 and approaching Ravine Court, crossed the centerline of the two-lane highway for unknown reasons and struck the driver’s side door of a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse driven by Michael D. Burdiak, 54, of Yorkville, which was proceeding eastbound. The impact of the collision caused Burdiak’s vehicle to spin out of control and it struck a guardrail along the highway.

State police, assisted by Kendall County Sheriff’s deputies closed Route 71 for four hours after the crash to conduct an investigation.

Joseph Burdiak was about to enter eighth grade at Yorkville Middle School. To support the Burdiak family, friends have established a GoFundMe page at https://gf.me/v/c/rg7/joey-burdiak-funeral-and-support.

In an email sent to Yorkville School District 115 families Aug. 3, Lisa Adler, Yorkville Middle School principal, extended “heartfelt sympathies to Joey’s family and friends” on behalf of the entire school district community.

“Joey previously attended Circle Center Grade School and Yorkville Intermediate School prior to attending Yorkville Middle School last year. Joey had an infectious smile that brightened every room that he walked into. He was a passionate artist who loved being with his friends and was known by his teachers to be a joy to have in class. He will be profoundly missed by those who knew him,” Adler wrote.

Yorkville Middle School students personally touched by this loss are encouraged to contact YMS Assistant Principal of Student Services Beth Amedei at eamedei@y115.org or 630-553-4544, Adler said.

Monday’s fatality was the second to occur on a Kendall County highway in less than a week.

On Tuesday, July 27, a 6-year-old Joliet girl was killed after a driver ran a stop sign and crashed into the car she was riding in at Route 126 and Grove Road in NaAuSay Township, according to Illinois State Police reports.

Lily Hicks was transported from the scene to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she died, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Hicks was riding in a Chevy Malibu driven by 29-year-old Amme Hicks of Joliet when the driver of a Nissan Altima disregarded a stop sign and crashed into the Malibu’s driver’s side about noon, Illinois State Police said.

Amme Hicks was traveling west on Route 126 and the Nissan Altima was traveling north on Grove Road, police said. Lily Hicks was ejected from the Malibu after the cars collided and was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center. Amme Hicks was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Police arrested Michael Kubistal, 34, of Joliet after the crash, charging him with driving under the influence of drugs, possession of cannabis, disobeying a stop sign, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident.