High-Speed Crash Involving 2012 Honda Accord
High-speed crash splits car in half at Northwest Highway (US 14) and Wilke Road in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Arlington Heights police officers and firefighters/paramedics responded about 8:43 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2020 to the intersection of Northwest Highway and Wilke Road in Arlington Heights, Illinois to a report of a serious car crash with a utility police.
Police and firefighter/paramedics discovered a Honda Accord split in half with hazards, especially at the northeast corner of the intersection. The hazards included downed power lines, downed poles, a fractured wood utility pole, and a wide debris field.
During the collision with a utility pole, a traffic signal standard and a street light pole, the 2012 Honda Accord split in half and the 19 year-old male driver from Palatine was ejected from his seat in the Honda Accord. He was the only occupant in the vehicle when the crash occurred. Arlington Heights Fire Department paramedics briefly treated the driver at the scene before transporting him to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. The male crash victim was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and as of Thursday, September 24, 2020, the driver was still in the ICU at Lutheran General Hospital.
The evidence collected at the scene, as well as a third party witness statements, revealed the male driver of a 2012 Honda Accord was eastbound on Northwest Highway (US 14) approaching North Wilke Road, when he drove left of the centerline and into oncoming traffic, ultimately leaving the roadway at the northeast corner of the intersection.
The 2012 Honda Accord struck a traffic standard, street light, and a utility pole, causing downed utility lines and damage to the business located at 1718 W. Northwest Highway (also on the northeast corner of the intersection). The intersection was closed for an extended period while the Village of Arlington Heights Public Works Department and ComEd repaired the damaged utilities and the Arlington Heights Police Department investigated the crash.
No other persons were injured, and no other vehicles were involved in the crash. Several people at Jimmy D’s were enjoying a beautiful September night at an outdoor patio seating area at the opposite side of the building.
The Arlington Heights Police Department has issued the driver of the 2012 Honda Accord a citation for Improper Lane Use (applicable to drivers who leave their lane of travel in an unsafe fashion).
“The 2012 Honda Accord was severely damaged in the accident, having been severed into distinct portions as a result of the impact(s) with the listed utilities. While the extent of damage done to the 2012 Honda Accord was indicative of a relatively high speed collision, the Arlington Heights Police Department does not expect any additional charges to be filed in the case.”
— Arlington Heights Police Department
The Speed Limit on eastbound Northwest Highway west of Wilke Road is 40 MPH. The Speed Limit on eastbound Northwest Highway east of Wilke Road is 35 MPH.
The front half of driver’s car was found flipped upside down, and the passenger compartment and rear of the car was found upright curbside at the northeast corner of Northwest Highway and Wilke Road. The vehicle split in half as it hit a wooden utility pole in front of Jimmy D’s restaurant and bar at the northeast corner of Northwest Highway and Wilke Road.
The upper one-third of the utility pole snapped off and came down onto the sidewalk in front of Jimmy D’s. The base two-thirds of the wood utility pole remained planted in the ground. Several witnesses reported what they saw the to police.
Northwest Highway (US 14) was blocked at the intersection in both directions during rescue, investigation and vehicle recovery. Wilke Road was also blocked in both directions near the intersection. The roadways were cleared and unobstructed shortly after 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 23, 2020 after Hillside Towing removed the vehicle pieces and debris, and an Arlington Heights Public Works crew removed the street light.
The information in this article is an early report published before any summary information was confirmed or released by police or fire authorities.
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