Man, 37, killed in Route 12 crash in Wauconda

A 37-year-old Wauconda man is dead following a three-car crash that shut down Route 12 near Case Road in Wauconda for nearly four hours Wednesday morning.

Wauconda Police Chief Doug Larsson said a white Chevrolet sedan was turning left onto Case Road from northbound Route 12 when it cut in front of southbound traffic and was hit in the rear passenger side by a white pickup truck.

The force of the crash caused back-seat passenger Sergio Garcia-Vazquez to fall out of the sedan, Larsson said, and resulted in his fatal injuries.

The car continued spinning and struck a third car before coming to rest in a grassy median between north and southbound Route 12.

Lake County Coroner Artis Yancey said the victim may have been struck by another vehicle after falling out of the car, and the preliminary cause of death is multiple traumatic injuries.

The driver of the sedan and a second passenger both suffered nonlife-threatening injuries in the crash, Larsson said. A third person was treated at the scene and released, he added.

There is no evidence that drugs or alcohol played a factor in the crash, Larsson said.

“We don't suspect it, but we want to make sure before we determine if charges are going to be brought, what charges should be brought,” he said.

Police collected samples for toxicology testing,

Wauconda Police are working with the Lake County state's attorney's office to determine if charges will be filed, but it will be at least 10 days until that decision is made.

There is no traffic signal at Case Road and Route 12, and people turning onto Case are expected to yield to oncoming traffic, Larsson said. The speed limit in that area is 55 mph.

Southbound Route 12 was closed until about 10:30 a.m. while the accident was investigated by the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team, he said. The road shoulder was open to northbound traffic.