Car, semitrailer crash near I-80 in Joliet leaves 5 people critically hurt

Five people inside of a Volkswagen Passat were critically injured in a crash early Monday morning involving a semitrailer at a Joliet intersection that is just north of Interstate 80.

At 5:12 a.m. Monday, Joliet police officers and firefighters responded to a crash at the intersection of McDonough Street and South Chicago Street.

A preliminary investigation of the crash has led police to believe that the Volkswagen Passat was in the eastbound direction of McDonough Street and approaching South Chicago Street before the crash occurred, according to a statement from Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

The Volkswagen then entered the intersection and struck a semitrailer that was in the southbound direction of South Chicago Street, English said.

“At this time, it is believed that the traffic light was green for southbound Chicago Street traffic and red for eastbound McDonough Street traffic, however this remains under investigation,” English said.

The driver of the Volkswagen was a 28-year-old man and his passengers included a 26-year-old man and two 30-year-old women. They are all from Joliet. The fifth person in the vehicle was a 25-year-old woman from El Paso, Texas.

All of them were taken to local hospitals in critical condition by the Joliet Fire Department, English said.

The Volkswagen driver and the woman from Texas were later taken Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition. The 26-year-old man and one of the two 30-year-old women were sent to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood in critical condition.

The other 30-year-old woman is considered to be in stable condition.

The driver of the semitrailer was not injured in the crash.

The roadways of the intersection will remain closed for the crash investigation and reconstruction of the incident.

“No citations have been issued as this traffic crash remains under investigation,” English said.

Anyone with information on the crash or who may have video footage should contact the Joliet Police Department’s traffic unit at 815-724-3010.