95-Year-Old Driver Killed While Underneath Broken Down Car: Lake County Sheriff

DEER PARK, IL — A 95-year-old Palatine man was killed Tuesday afternoon as he was underneath his disabled vehicle when it was struck by another car. According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Palatine resident died at the scene.

Police responded to the scene at around 3:15 p.m. after 911 callers reported a serious traffic crash at the intersection of Lake Cook and Quentin roads. Deputies found the man deceased in the roadway, along with two heavily damaged vehicles.

A preliminary investigation revealed the 95-year-old man was traveling westbound when his 2006 Honda Accord broke down and became disabled in a westbound lane of Lake Cook Road, just east of Quentin Road. Police said the Honda Accord was in the center lane, between the left turn lane and outside-through lane. According to witnesses, the driver of the Honda Accord exited his vehicle and began looking underneath the vehicle, under the engine area.

While under his car, a 2024 Honda HR-V, driven by a 30-year-old Cary resident, struck the Honda Accord from behind. The impact caused major injuries to the man under his car, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Honda HR-V, along with a passenger, a 30-year-old Arlington Heights woman, were taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said a passenger in the Honda Accord, a 77-year-old Barrington woman, was taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A school bus, only occupied by the driver, that was waiting to turn left onto southbound Quentin Road from westbound Lake Cook Road, was sideswiped during the crash. The driver of the school bus was uninjured.

Police said the Lake County Coroner's Office responded to the scene and an autopsy is being scheduled. The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's Office Technical Crash Investigations Team.