Cook County Sergeant Had Medical Emergency Before Crash: Coroner

ELGIN, IL — The Kane County Coroner's office has identified Cook County Sheriff's office Sergeant Gary Newsom as the victim in a Sunday crash in Elgin. The Kane County Coroner's office was called to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin at 5:37 p.m. Sunday for a death, where the deceased was identified as 49-year-old Newsom, according to a release from the coroner's office.

Elgin police and fire department crews were called to the crash at 4:29 p.m. where early investigation shows the car was driven southbound across northbound lanes, before hitting a utility pole and coming to a stop in the 1100 block of Dundee Avenue, the department said.

An investigation at the crash site indicated Sgt. Newsom became unresponsive before the crash, and an autopsy performed Wednesday on Newsom revealed a significant amount of blockages in the arteries of his heart, which can cause sudden death, the coroner's office said.

Preliminary cause of Newsom's death is Coronary Atherosclerosis, and toxicology samples were sent to a forensic lab for further analysis, the coroner's office added.

Related: Off-Duty Cook County Sergeant Killed In Elgin Crash: Police

According to police, there was another passenger in the car at the time of the crash, but they weren't injured.

"The Kane County Coroner’s Office offers condolences to the family of Sgt. Newsom and to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for their loss and is cooperating with Elgin Police Department in the investigation," the release said.