A Harvard Police officer (McHenry County Illinois) at approximately 12:02 a.m. a attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a dark-colored sedan of unknown make and model after the driver disobeyed a stop sign at the intersection of South Park Avenue and South Division Street (Route 14).
According to the Harvard Police Department, the driver of the vehicle then proceeded northbound on South Division Street, disregarding a traffic control device at the intersection with Brink Street (Route 173 west of Division Street). The driver then accelerated rapidly. The Harvard police officer, who had been traveling southbound, turned around to stop the vehicle.
The officer briefly lost sight of the vehicle as it crested the North Division Street (Route 14) viaduct bridge over the railroad tracks, and then completely lost visual contact near the intersection of North Division Street (Route 14) and Diggins Street (Route 173 east of Division Street).
After continuing northbound, the police officer initiated a traffic stop on a dark-colored sedan at the intersection of North Division Street (Route 14) and Crowley Road. However, after speaking with the driver, the officer determined that this was not the driver and vehicle observed earlier.
Two other Harvard police officers, responding as backup, struck a low-hanging metal braided utility guide wire over the roadway in the 1500 block of North Division Street (Route 14), which is located north of Northfield Avenue near the Crash Champions Collision Repair Harvard.
Fortunately neither officer was injured, but both squad vehicles sustained damage.
A subsequent search of the area led to the discovery of a broken utility pole and a black 2000 Ford Mustang approximately 100 feet off the roadway in a heavily wooded area near the intersection of Division Street and Garfield Road. Only one occupant, a 20-year-old male, was inside the Ford Mustang. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Harvard Fire Protection District paramedics.
The driver apparently failed to negotiate the S-curve curve while traveling on Division Street.
Garfield Road is located at the north end of the Division Street S-Curve while 1500 Division Street is located at the south end of the S-Curve.
The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was activated to investigate the crash.
In accordance with the Illinois Police and Community Relations Improvement Act, the Harvard Police Department has requested assistance from the McHenry County Major Investigations Team (MIAT). As this is an ongoing investigation, further information will be released as authorized or when appropriate.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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