COOK COUNTY, IL -- A 35-year-old man from Chicago was severely injured Saturday evening when his car collided with two other vehicles in Riverside, according to Riverside-Brookfield Landmark.
The events unfolded on a span of South 1st Avenue between Forest Avenue and 31st Street on August 26, at around 7:25 p.m.
Riverside Police say the man was driving a Chevy Cruze northbound and was about midway between the two intersections when the Chevy veered past the double yellow lines of the road. The vehicle then collided head-on with a southbound pickup truck with an attached trailer holding a full load of roofing shingles and lumber.
Authorities said the initial crash caused the Chevy to re-enter the northbound lanes, where it hit a northbound Hyundai Elantra. The impact of the second crash sent both vehicles off the east side of the roadway, with the pickup's trailer left completely flipped near an entrance to the Zoo Woods forest preserve.
The driver of the Chevy, who had to be extricated from the vehicle, suffered serious injuries. He was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center, where he remained hospitalized as of August 28.
Though excessive speed did not appear to contribute to the crash, RPD officials say alcohol is "strongly" believed to have been a factor. Multiple charges against the suspect are currently pending.
No injuries to the drivers of the pickup or the Hyundai, a 31-year-old Burbank man and a 24-year-old Berwyn man, respectively, were reported.
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