Crete man killed in fatal crash in Joliet

A woman failed to stop at a red light at an intersection in Joliet and crashed into another vehicle driven by a man who later died from his injuries, police said.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the intersection of East Cass and North Briggs streets for a report of a traffic crash with injuries, a Joliet police news release said.

A preliminary investigation by the Joliet police determined that a vehicle driven by a 23-year-old woman was heading north on Briggs Street and approaching Cass Street, police said.

“Her vehicle entered the intersection after failing to stop at a red light at which time her vehicle collided into the passenger side of a vehicle driven by a 48-year-old male that was eastbound on East Cass Street,” police said.

The man was later identified as Roman Romero-Velasquez, 48, of Crete.

Romero-Velasquez was extricated from the vehicle and taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox “where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries,” police said.

“Two additional passengers from the male’s vehicle were transported to Silver Cross Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” police said.

A about a half hour after the crash, Romero-Velasquez was pronounced deceased at Silver Cross Hospital, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office.

An autopsy for Romero-Velasquez has been scheduled for Wednesday.

The final cause and manner of Romero-Velasquez’s death will be determined at a later date following the final review of police, autopsy and toxicology reports, coroner officials said.