Update: Driver Critical After Three-Car Crash

Update:

After a serious three-vehicle crash early Saturday on Dempster Street, a 21-year-old driver, of Skokie, remains in critical condition, Sgt. Robert Tornabene of the Niles Police Department said Tuesday. The department was not yet releasing the man's name.

Morton Grove Fire Department Chief Tom Friel said a Morton Grove ambulance was the first to arrive on the scene at 5:01 a.m., and both Morton Grove and Niles fire department personnel worked to both medically treat and physically extricate the driver of the minivan, who was pinned in and "suffered significant trauma," he said.

The minivan, which was the vehicle which struck the two other vehicles, was the most-damaged of the three, and had significant front-end damage and intrusion into the passenger compartment Friel said.

The incident commander reported the patient had been extricated at 5:14 a.m. and arrived at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge at 5:23.  Two other people in other vehicles were offered treatment but refused, Friel said.

Original story:

A 21-year-old Skokie man, whose identity has not been released by police yet, was hospitalized after a serious three-vehicle crash in Niles early Saturday morning.

Around 5 a.m., a Toyota minivan heading eastbound on Dempster Street, near Shermer,  struck the rear of a Freightline tractor-trailer, also heading eastbound, which had slowed down, possibly to make a turn, said Sgt. Robert Tornabene of the Niles Police Department.

The Toyota minivan then crossed over the center line on Dempster and struck a third car which was heading westbound.

The driver of the striking vehicle was taken to the hospital, and Tornabene said his injuries were "pretty severe." His name has not been released yet, and Tornabene said at last report, he was still hospitalized.

Greg Cieply, a Niles resident, and Casey Faust, a Morton Grove resident, submitted photos of the accident scene. One photo shows that an airbag deployed in the minivan; more than one photo shows it had extensive front-end damage. 

Police closed off Dempster Street after the accident because the crash scattered debris across the roadway. 

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