3 people have died in McHenry County crashes since Monday. Here’s what we know, as officials ask for caution

Three people died in McHenry County car crashes between Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, and a fourth person was flown in a serious crash earlier Monday. Here’s what we know.

• An 11-year-old child died in a crash at the intersection of Kishwaukee Valley and Deerpass roads near Marengo Monday evening. The child was taken to Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside in Rockford, where the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said the child was later pronounced dead. Officials said preliminary findings were that an 18-year-old Huntley driver ran a stop sign and struck the car in which the child was a passenger, also seriously injuring the driver, a 29-year-old Wonder Lake man.
• A man died in a crash about 4 miles east on Kishwaukee Valley near the South Hughes roads intersection outside Woodstock early Tuesday morning. A commercial truck driver also involved declined medical treatment.
• A man died in a crash in the 19700 block of Hebron Road near Harvard about an hour later Tuesday morning. The man’s car was the only one in the crash.

In a fourth crash, a man was flown to Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside in Rockford after being seriously injured in a crash about 10 a.m. Monday along Route 14 near Woodstock.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, authorities hadn’t identified any of the people who died in the crashes.

In response to the spate of fatalities, McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman issued the following statement imploring drivers to exercise caution, slow down and buckle up:

“In the span of about 12 hours, three fatal crashes have taken lives here in McHenry County. Our hearts are with the families forever changed by these tragedies.

We’re urging every driver: slow down, stay alert, and make responsible decisions behind the wheel. Your life, and the lives of others, depend on it.

As your Sheriff, I want you to know we are taking this seriously. Our deputies are conducting directed traffic patrols, increasing visibility in high-risk areas, monitoring for speeding, distracted driving, and impaired operation, and working closely with our Major Traffic Crash Investigation Team to identify contributing factors. We’re also collaborating with state and local partners to deploy additional resources where needed.“But safety is a shared responsibility – and we need everyone to do their part.

• Slow down – especially on less-traveled roads.
• Put the phone down – no distraction is worth a life.
• Buckle up – every time, every seat.
• Drive sober – plan ahead, no excuses.
• Stay alert – your full attention can save lives.
• If you witness reckless or impaired driving, please report it. Your call could save someone’s life.

Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts. And please, drive carefully, drive responsibly, and do your part to prevent another tragedy."

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Chief Brendan Parker and Harvard Fire Protection District Chief John Kimmel, whose agencies were among the first responders at the crashes, also released a joint statement Tuesday evening:

“Within a 24-hour period, our departments responded to multiple serious crashes across the western part of McHenry County. Three of those crashes involved fatalities. While the circumstances and outcomes of each incident varied, the impact has been felt across the communities we serve and among those who responded. Each incident had a deep impact, and we recognize the challenges faced by those involved.

“From Monday morning through Tuesday morning, our fire and EMS resources were shared across nearly all of these responses. Apparatus, personnel, and command staff moved between scenes to provide support wherever it was needed. The pace of these back-to-back incidents demanded focus, endurance, and a high level of coordination. That level of cooperation reflects the strength of our regional partnerships and the mutual aid system we depend on every day. These responses took place during periods of oppressive heat, with the heat index nearing or exceeding 100 degrees, further adding to the physical demands placed on responders across the region.

“We are also grateful to our outside partners, including LifeNet, Flight For Life, the MD-1 physician team, and the neighboring departments who backfilled our stations and helped ensure continued coverage while crews remained committed at the scenes. Our dispatchers and communications personnel played a vital role behind the scenes, managing multiple incidents, coordinating resources, and helping ensure accurate information was relayed across agencies and to the public.

“Our thoughts are not only with the victims and their families, but also with our responders. Calls like these take a toll. They are emotionally heavy, and we remain committed to supporting the well-being of those who answer the call, regardless of time or circumstance. These responses are a reflection of the professionalism and resilience that exist across our departments. They also serve as a reminder of the importance of continued public support for the people and systems that make this level of care possible.”