Couple Killed In Geneva Crash ID'd

GENEVA, IL — Authorities have identified a Geneva couple in their eighties who were killed Sept. 5 in a two vehicle crash.

Police said their investigation shows that the couple's 2005 Toyota Corolla was making a left turn onto Bricher Road from Fisher Drive at around 1:40 p.m. when the Corolla was hit by a 2020 BMW X3 that was heading east on Bricher Road.

The crash sent the BMW off the road into a wooded area north of the intersection, where it caught fire, but was quickly extinguished by firefighters, according to authorities.

According to a joint news release from Geneva police and the Kane County Coroner's Office, the driver of the Corolla, Dennis White, 85, was taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, where he was pronounced dead. His wife, 88-year-old Ritsuko White, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

Autopsies showed the couple's deaths were consistent with multiple traumatic injuries from a motor vehicle crash, authorities said.

Police said the BMW was driven by a 19-year-old man, who had three passengers, ages 18 to 20, in the vehicle. The driver and two passengers were medically released at the scene. One passenger was transported by paramedics to Delnor Hospital.

No charges have been filed in the crash, and the case remains under investigation by the Geneva Police Department, Kane County Coroner’s Office and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team.

"The Geneva Police Department and the Kane County Coroner’s Office extend heartfelt condolences to the White family and others impacted by this tragic crash," officials said in the release.

Obituaries for the couple note that they met when Dennis was in the Marine Corps, noting, "While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he met the love of his life, Ritsuko. After completing his service, Dennis returned to Okinawa to marry her, beginning a lifelong partnership rooted in faith and commitment ... Dennis and Ritsuko shared nearly 65 years of marriage, raising four children while cultivating a home grounded in faith, resilience, and love. They enjoyed gardening together, often tending their plot at the Geneva Community Garden."

The couple is survived by their children and seven grandchildren.