John Gavin, of the 700 block of Linden in Arlington Heights, was a passenger in a Hyundai Sonata that left the roadway and crashed into a tree in the 400 block of South Windsor Drive about 12:40 a.m. Thursday.
A well-liked sophomore at Prospect High School, John Gavin was killed by injuries he suffered in the crash. He was riding in the front passenger seat when the passenger side of the car took the main impact with a tree on the west side of the center parkway.
Pavement was wet, but snow had only accumulated on grassy areas. The official temperature at O’Hare International Airport was 28.0°F at 12:51 a.m. Thursday.
The crash occurred near the west roadway of a wide boulevard type road with a wide parkway in between two bi-directional roadways. The stretch of road — with a wide view and slight curves — is an inviting connection between Kensington Road to the north and Northwest Highway to the south. It cuts through the Stonegate neighborhood of Arlington Heights. The parkway is a common play area for soccer, touch football and neighborhood parties.
Both the driver and John Gavin were 16 years old at the time of the crash. Both were wearing seat belts and air bags deployed in the vehicle, which by preliminary investigation is believed to have been southbound, toward Northwest Highway.
The driver was either not injured or only received minor injuries. He was examined by paramedics at the scene and released to his parents.
Visitation for John J. “Jack” Gavin of Arlington Heights will be Monday, March 28, 2011 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.at Lauterburg and Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights. Prayers will be said Tuesday, March 29, at 9:15 a.m. at the funeral home, proceeding to St. James Catholic Church, 831 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, for a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment will be in All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines.
Details and Guestbook at …
Daily Herald via Legacy.com John J. “Jack” Gavin
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