Three-car crash in Spring Grove sends two to hospital, shuts down Route 173 for hours

A three-vehicle crash Friday, March 18, 2022, in Spring Grove sent two to the hospital and shut down Route 173 for several hours.

A three-vehicle crash Friday night sent two to the hospital with critical injuries and shut down Illinois Route 173 for several hours, officials with the Spring Grove Fire Protection District said. One other person involved in the crash was released at the scene.

The crash, called in about 8 p.m. Friday to the Spring Grove Fire Protection District, took place on Route 173 near Siedschlag Road. Its cause still is being investigated, Battalion Chief John Rice said. In addition to the fire department, the Spring Grove Police Department and the Fox Lake Fire Protection District also were called to the scene.

Those involved in the crash included three vehicles and three drivers, two of which were identified as having critical injuries, Rice said. The two who suffered critical injuries were taken to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry, he said. The one who wasn’t taken was released at the scene.

Ultimately, four ambulances responded, including two from Spring Grove, one from Fox Lake and one from Richmond.

As a result of the crash, both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 173 were shut down, with Rice saying the last unit did not return back to the station until about midnight, close to four hours after the original call.

The crash is being investigated by the Major Crash Assistance Team, officials with Spring Grove Police Department said. Rice said this was “due to the magnitude.” As it stands, Rice did not have information as to what exactly led to the crash.

“We don’t have a lot of data at this point other than what we initially obtained at the scene,” Rice said. “Our focal point was on the injuries and rapid transport.”

Check back for updates.

A three-vehicle crash Friday, March 18, 2022, in Spring Grove sent two to the hospital and shut down Route 173 for several hours.