17-year-old Rock Falls boy suffers life-threatening injuries in crash

ROCK FALLS – A 17-year-old Rock Falls resident is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after he slammed his pickup into the rear of a semitrailer, Rock Falls police said in a news release.

The boy, who wasn’t named because of his age, was undergoing surgery Thursday at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Chief Dave Pilgrim said.

The driver of the semitrailer, Michael l. Wicklein of Byron, was not injured.

Wicklein was driving east shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday when he stopped to make a left turn from U.S. Route 30 onto Industrial Park Road. The boy failed to stop and had to be freed from his truck after the crash.

Route 30 between state Route 40 and McNeil Road was closed until about 4:45 p.m., according to the release.

The crash remains under investigation.