Woodstock-area fatal crash: Friends say 2 of 3 dead were young men with ties to Harvard area

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office is awaiting dental or DNA records in order to identify two of the three people who were killed in a crash near Woodstock Sunday, though friends of the pair have been gathering at a makeshift roadside memorial at the site.

The third person who died in the three-car crash has been identified as Amy Roeder, 47, of Woodstock. Woodstock School District 200 spokesman Kevin Lyons confirmed Monday Roeder was a reading interventionist at Westwood Elementary School.

“She really will be missed at Westwood,” Lyons said Monday.

Lyons also confirmed Roeder’s middle school-aged daughter was the passenger in Roeder’s car. She was taken to Northwestern Woodstock Hospital and then flown to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood in serious condition.

According to investigators, a 2021 Dodge Challenger Hellcat was heading west on Davis Road when it tried to pass a 2021 Jeep Wrangler in a posted no-passing zone. At the top of a crest in the road, the Hellcat collided with a 2022 Volvo XC 90 in the eastbound lanes. The Volvo went into the south ditch and the Hellcat spun before landing in the north ditch where it caught fire, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

Roeder was driving the Volvo. The driver and passenger in the Hellcat were the two others who died in the crash and whose identities the coroner’s office is trying to confirm.

Though formal identification had not yet been made for the two people in the Hellcat as of late Tuesday, people who say they were friends with them gathered at the scene of the crash to leave candles, flowers, a pair of cowboy boots and a bib used for hair-cutting.

Those present said the pair who died were two young men who worked at a Harvard barbershop. One was described as having a good heart and being a fan of the Milwaukee Bucks.

One person present at the memorial, Juan Mercado, said he went to Harvard High School with one of the teens and said he “inspired” Mercado to cut hair as well.

A vigil also took place at the location Tuesday evening.

Authorities believe speeding and reckless driving were factors in the crash. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said Monday alcohol containers were found at the scene. Toxicology is pending for autopsies relating to the crash, according to a news release from the coroner’s office.

The coroner’s office said they performed autopsies Monday and preliminary results indicate Roeder died of blunt force injuries.

The coroner’s office is continuing to work collaboratively with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and the Woodstock Fire/Rescue Department during this investigation, according to the release.

A fundraiser launched for Roeder’s family Tuesday afternoon seeks to help the family with funeral expenses, medical bills and other things the family might need.

“Our dear friend Amy was a beloved member of our community, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a mother of three known for her kindness, generosity, and unwavering support for those around her. This unexpected incident has left her family in a challenging situation emotionally. Amy has always been there for others, whether it was lending a helping hand, offering words of encouragement, or simply being a friend in times of need,” the GoFundMe said.

The GoFundMe said Roeder’s daughter “has been in the ICU since the accident but through the grace of god is on the right road towards recovery.”

To find the fundraiser, go to gofundme.com and search for “Amy Roeder.”