Teenage driver in crash remains in critical condition

A 16-year-old female driver from Arlington Heights remains in critical condition following a crash early Saturday in unincorporated Hampshire Township.

Four other teenagers – including two from Huntley, one from Elk Grove Village and another from Arlington Heights – who were in the car remain hospitalized, according to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

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, according to the release.

About 2:50 a.m. Saturday, Kane County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a crash with serious injuries in the area of Dietrich Road, west of Brier Hill Road in unincorporated Hampshire Township.

The teenagers were in a 2019 Honda HR-V that was traveling east on Dietrich Road at a high rate of speed, when for unknown reasons, it left the roadway and struck a tree on the north side of the roadway, according to the release.

The driver of the Honda was flown by LifeNet helicopter to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with life-threatening injuries, according to the release. The 15-year-old front passenger, of Arlington Heights, was initially taken to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital and then flown to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life-threatening injuries.

A 15-year-old female rear passenger, of Huntley, was initially taken to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin and then transferred to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago with life-threatening injuries, according to the release. A 16-year-old female rear passenger, of Huntley, was initially taken to Sherman Hospital and then taken Advocate Lutheran General Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Another 15-year-old female rear passenger, of Elk Grove Village, was initially taken to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital and then taken to Comer Children’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the release.

Sheriff’s detectives and members of the Kane County Drone Team continue to investigate crash. It is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in this crash and no citations have been issued.

Because of the the ages of those involved, their names are being withheld at this time, officials said in the release.

Kane County sheriff’s deputies were assisted at the scene by Hampshire Police Department as well as Hampshire Fire Protection District, Huntley Fire Protection District, LifeNet and the Kane County Office of Emergency Management.