Kane County County Sheriff’s deputies and Burlington Community Fire Protection District firefighter/paramedics responded about 12:50 a.m. Sunday to an extrication crash on Plank Road between Engel Road and East County Line Road. Elgin teen Lawrence Echols, 17, was killed and another 19-year-old teen was seriously injured in a rollover, car vs. tree crash on Plank Road west of Engel Road in Sycamore. Both victims were back seat passengers in the vehicle — a Lincoln MKZ. Shadontre Smith of South Elgin was extricated from the sedan after rescuers responded to the scene. He was airlifted to Level I Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
Two other teens walked away from the scene before rescuers arrived, and left their cell phones in the vehicle or near the vehicle. Police learned that the two additional teens were in the crash and began an extensive search with K-9 units. K-9 units from Kane County, DeKalb County and Bloodhound teams from Midwest K-9 Emergency Response Team, and members of the Kane County Office of Emergency Management search and rescue team searched on the ground while an Air One Emergency Response Coalition Helicopter searched by air.
About 10:30 a.m. Sunday, the driver of the sedan, Shannon Hill, 17, of Elgin and front-seat passenger, Jamiah Harrison, 17, of Elgin were located at Sherman Hospital about 14 miles away straight path, and 16 miles by road. Police were investigating whether the two fled the scene or got disoriented in cornfields while they went to get help.
A big concern for police was that the teens got lost in the cornfields near the crash scene, or became incapacitated because of crash injuries somewhere in the cornfields.
Plank Road was closed between Engel Road and East County Line Road until about 11:00 am. Sunday and the search was terminated.
Preliminary investigation indicates the crash vehicle was westbound at high speed on Plank Road, crossed the center line and left the roadway on the south side of the road. The vehicle rolled several times before hitting a tree. Kane County Sheriff’s Office and Accident Reconstruction Team are investigating the crash.