Alcohol suspected in crash that shut down Route 14 near Woodstock, 19-year-old in critical condition

A 19-year-old Harvard man was flown to Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford in critical condition following a Monday afternoon crash in the 17100 block of U.S. Route 14 between Woodstock and Harvard, according to a news release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office; the Harvard, Marengo and Woodstock fire departments; MD 1; and LifeNet responded to the three-vehicle crash about 2:15 p.m., according to the release.

According to the preliminary investigation, a Chevrolet Cruze was traveling south on Route 14 and tried to pass a semi through the intersection with Dunham Road and continued into a no-passing zone.

The car then went into the southbound lane and rear-ended another vehicle, which ended up in a nearby field. The Chevrolet stayed in the southbound lane, crossed over the roadway, and exited left into a parking lot of a nearby business, hitting a car parked there, according to the release.

A natural gas main was severed in the crash, causing a gas leak, police said. Nicor responded to the scene and contained the leak

The driver of the car that rear-ended a second vehicle was the 19-year-old Harvard resident that was flown to Javon Bea Hospital, according to the release. Officials said airbags deployed and the driver wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

The driver and passenger of the car that was rear-ended were both uninjured and wearing seatbelts, according to the release.

Officials believe alcohol is a factor in the crash, and the crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Investigation Unit.