Married Couple Among Victims In Fatal Beach Park Crash

BEACH PARK, IL — A young married couple were among the three people killed in a crash Saturday morning in Beach Park. The Lake County Coroner's office identified 23-year-old Marilis Barrera and 24-year-old Jose Barrera, both from Waukegan, and 71-year-old David Martinez from Beach Park as the three victims, according to a news release. According to a GoFundMe page created by Jose's family members, the couple was on their way back from celebrating Marilis' 23rd birthday when the "unimaginable happened."

Lake County Sheriff's deputies were called to the area of Green Bay and Blanchard roads at 4:45 a.m. Saturday for a traffic crash with injuries, where they found a 2013 Honda Civic and a 2008 Nissan Altima with heavy damage, according to a sheriff's department news release.

Early investigation shows that a man later identified as Jose was driving the Nissan northbound on Green Bay Road, just south of Blanchard Road, when for an unknown reason he crossed the center line and drove into the southbound lanes, hitting the front of the Honda, according to the sheriff's office. The Beach park man later identified as Martinez was driving the Honda southbound when it was hit by the Nissan, according to the news release. Both drivers and Marilis, who was a passenger in the Nissan, were pronounced dead on site, the sheriff's office said.

Related: Three Killed In Beach Park Crash

According to a news release from the coroner's office, Dr. Howard Cooper, Lake County Coroner said an autopsy was performed on each of the three victims Monday.

"The preliminary autopsy results indicate they all died of multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma from a car crash," Cooper said, in the news release. "Toxicology results are pending for all, as well. The investigation into their deaths continues by our office and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.”

Cooper added that the coroner's office has been in close contact with each of the families, and their deepest condolences go out to them during this difficult time, according to the news release.

As of Thursday afternoon more than $13,000 has been raised to help "alleviate the financial burden" the couple's parents and family face, according to the GoFundMe page.

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