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MALTA – Two Steward residents were hospitalized on Christmas Day after surviving a rear-end collision and rollover in a two-vehicle crash in rural western DeKalb County, authorities said.
DeKalb County Sheriff Andy Sullivan said the Steward residents, a 63-year-old man who drove a Kia and a 60-year old woman, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Paramedics from the Malta and DeKalb fire departments took them to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.
Sullivan said excessive speed was part of the reason for the crash.
“Someone was obviously driving way too fast and not paying attention,” Sullivan said. “That’s how that crash happened.”
The crash occurred at 10:36 p.m. north of Malta on Route 64, according to a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office news release.
Sullivan said two vehicles that were traveling west on the rural highway collided after the trailing car, a white 2000 Mercedes-Benz, approached a car in front of it, a red 2017 Kia Sportage, while speeding.
As the Mercedes-Benz approached, the Steward man who drove the Kia tried to avoid a collision, Sullivan said.
“That driver thought that he might be able to avoid the crash by moving toward the shoulder of the road; however, the other vehicle continued at that high rate of speed and then struck his rear bumper, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and roll over,” Sullivan said.
As a result of the rear impact, the Kia was forced into the highway’s north-side ditch before it reentered the road while rolling. The vehicle came to rest on its roof in the eastbound lane, according to the release.
The male driver of the Mercedes-Benz, 46, of Mt. Morris, did not report any injuries in the crash despite also rolling his vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Kia and Mercedes-Benz were towed from the scene of the crash after both vehicles sustained heavy damage.
The Mt. Morris man was cited by sheriff’s deputies for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and driving too fast for road conditions, according to the release.