Police: Car carrying South Elgin students failed to yield while turning left

Authorities have identified two South Elgin High School students killed Thursday in a crash in Bartlett.

The victims were Kamorra Campbell, 17, of Bartlett, and Tahlulay Henry, 16, of Elgin, according to the Kane County coroner’s office.

The two were passengers in a car that collided with a dump truck on Route 25 at Kenyon Road.

Two other girls in the car – also students at South Elgin High – were injured. The truck driver also was hurt.

The truck struck the passenger side of the car, Bartlett police said.

Following a preliminary investigation, Bartlett police determined the Honda Civic in which the girls were passengers was traveling north on Route 25 when it failed to yield while turning left onto Kenyon Drive on a green light. The Civic was struck by the 1997 Mack semitrailer traveling south on Route 25.

The high school is under a mile west of the intersection.

“It is with heavy hearts that the entire Bartlett community mourns with the family and friends of the South Elgin High School students involved in Thursday’s tragic car crash,” Bartlett Village President Kevin Wallace said in a statement. “Words cannot capture the pain of losing two young women far too soon. Though their lives were short, there is no doubt that they brought love and joy to those they touched, teachers, classmates, friends, and family, and that they will be forever remembered.”

The Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team (MERIT) assisted Bartlett police with their investigation. Route 25 was closed between West Bartlett Road and Graham Road for about seven hours Thursday.

The Elgin Area School District U-46 Crisis Team was activated at South Elgin High School, according to police.

Daily Herald staff writers Eric Peterson and Alice Fabbre contributed to this report.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20230901/authorities-identify-2-south-elgin-high-students-killed-in-crash