An Arlington Heights teen girl was driving a 2019 Honda HR-V involved in a life-threatening crash on Dietrich Road in Hampshire Township early Saturday, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. The girl, age 16, was airlifted by a LifeNet medical helicopter to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge from the scene on Dietrich Road west of Brier Hill Road in Hampshire Township. The crash occurred about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, February 11, 2023.
Four teens were passengers in the single-vehicle crash with a tree on a rolling rural road with crests and dips near the interchange of I-90 and US-20. All five female teens continue to be treated at three different hospitals in Cook County.
The 16 year-old driver, of Arlington Heights, remains in critical condition.
A 15 year-old front seat passenger, of Arlington Heights, remains hospitalized
A 15 year-old rear seat passenger, of Huntley, remains hospitalized.
A 16 year-old rear seat passenger, of Huntley, remains hospitalized.
A 15 year-old rear seat passenger, of Elk Grove Village, remains hospitalized
The Kane County Sheriff’s Detectives and Social Workers have been in contact with the families and are notifying the appropriate schools the students attend, in the event others may find themselves in need of additional support or counseling.
Kane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, February 11, 2023 when they were dispatched to an accident with serious injuries in the area of Dietrich Road, West of Brier Hill Road in unincorporated Hampshire Township.
Kane County Sheriff’s deputies were first on the scene, and then firefighters and paramedics from Huntley Fire Protection District and several McHenry fire/EMS agencies were dispatched beginning about 2:54 a.m. to a crash with multiple injuries and entrapment on Dietrich Road near Dietrich Road and Brier Hill Road in Hampshire. The crash location was discovered at 44W911 Dietrich Road in Hampshire. Police first on the scene reported a two-vehicle crash with entrapment A second vehicle at the scene may have been driven by a passerby that stopped at the crash scene. The crash was located in far north Kane County near McHenry County, and just northeast of the the I-90/US-20 interchange in Hampshire Township.
Firefighters and paramedics on the scene initially estimated that five patients were involved in the two-vehicle crash. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that the vehicle was occupied by five juveniles. Extrication was completed for one patient about 3:43 a.m., and all patients were extricated by 3:55 a.m.
At least one person was transported by a LifeNet Medical transport helicopter to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Patients were also transported to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital and Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.
A 16 year-old driver was injured, along with another 16 year-old passenger, and three 15 year-old passengers.
The 16 year-old female driver of the Honda, was air lifted by LifeNet Helicopter to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with life threatening injuries.
A 15 year-old front passenger, was initially transported to Northwest Huntley Hospital and then airlifted to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life-threatening injuries.
A 15 year-old female rear passenger was initially transported to Sherman Hospital and then transferred to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life-threatening injuries.
A 16 year-old female rear passenger was initially transported to Sherman Hospital and then transported Advocate Lutheran General Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
A 15 year-old female passenger was initially transported to Northwest Huntley Hospital and then transported to Comers Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life threatening injuries.
According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Kane County Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted at the scene by Hampshire Police Department, as well as Hampshire EMS and Fire Department, Huntley EMS and Fire Department, LifeNet and the Kane County Office of Emergency Management.
A MABAS EMS Box #5-950 to the Box Level for the five patients was activated at 3:07 a.m. Saturday. A LifeNet medical transport helicopter was launched, and landed in a landing zone near the scene near Dietrich Road and Brier Hill Road. All patients were transported from the scene by about 4:15 a.m.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Algonquin, Crystal Lake, and Marengo responded to the scene on Dietrich Road.
Kane County Sheriff’s Detectives, and members of the Kane County Drone Team are continuing the investigation into this crash. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office said that it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in this crash, and initially no citations were issued. Due to the ages of those involved, names were initially withheld.
Initial Investigation indicates a 2019 Honda HR-V was traveling east on Dietrich Road toward Brier Hill Road at a high rate of speed, when for unknown reasons, the Honda HR-V left the roadway and struck a tree on the north side of the roadway.
Dietrich Road is a narrow 2-lane rural road with narrow shoulders and multiple crests and dips. The crash scene was located near a crest in the road. The Speed Limit according to Google Maps Street View images (captured May 2019) is 40 MPH. Dietrich Road stretches about 1.4 miles between US-20 and Brier Hill Road.
The roadway is known for “hilltopping” and there are memorial crosses along the shoulder of Dietrich Road from previous fatal crashes. “Hilltopping” is a term that defines speeding over hills or crests in a roadway to deliberately cause a vehicle to go airborne. Initially, there was no official word from authorities that today’s crash involved hilltopping.
Air Temperature at 2:55 a.m. at DeKalb Airport was 22°F with a Dew Point of 20°F with winds from the SW at 3 MPH. Wind Chill with low wind was NA. Road were reported to be slick in Chicagoland, possibly with frost. The most recent temperature above freezing was 33°F at 2:35 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2023.
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Five teens are hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a driver was driving fast and hit a tree early Saturday morning near Hampshire Township, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office (WGN News). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Investigators believe the teens were speeding on down Dietrich Road, which quickly turns into a series of hills just out of view. CBS 2’s Sara Machi reports (CBS Chicago).
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