2 teens from Harvard ID’d in crash that also claimed life of Woodstock mother of 3

The identities of two young men from Harvard have been confirmed after they died in a Sunday crash near Woodstock that also claimed the life of a Woodstock woman and seriously injured her daughter.

Alex Gonzalez, 18, and Miguel Martinez-Santiago, 17, both of Harvard, died in the crash, the McHenry County Coroner’s Office announced Thursday.

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

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

According to investigators, a 2021 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, with the two Harvard teens inside, was heading west on Davis Road when it tried to pass a 2021 Jeep Wrangler in a posted no-passing zone on Sunday. 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. It is unclear whether Gonzalez or Martinez-Santiago was driving the Hellcat. The Hellcat was completely engulfed in flames when emergency responders arrived about four minutes after the call, according to a news release Sunday from the fire/rescue district. The two teens were discovered after the fire was put out.

A vigil took place at the scene of the crash Tuesday evening. People gathered there earlier Tuesday said the two young men worked at a Harvard barbershop. One person present at the memorial, Juan Mercado, said he went to Harvard High School with one of the teens, whom Mercado said “inspired” him to cut hair, as well.

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 but did not say which vehicle they came from. Toxicology is pending for autopsies relating to the crash, according to a news release from the coroner’s office.

An online 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,” according to a GoFundMe post.

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

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