advertisement

Alcohol not a factor in fatal Arlington Heights crash

Arlington Heights police are still investigating what caused a Palatine man to speed in the wrong lanes of traffic on Rand Road, causing a five-vehicle accident Monday afternoon that ended his life and injured three others.

Arlington Heights Police Capt. Andrew Whowell said from the preliminary investigation it does not look like alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Stanley Ksiazek, 51, of Palatine, was pronounced dead at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge shortly after the crash, according to the Cook County medical examiner. His cause of death is listed as accidental as a result of multiple injuries suffered from a motor vehicle collision.

Ksiazek was driving a red 2006 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck the wrong way in the southbound lanes of Rand Road near Thomas Avenue just after noon Monday, authorities said.

Police have said that Ksiazek was speeding, but accident reconstructionists have not released an estimated speed yet. Whowell said the speed was “excessive” in what is a 35 mph or 40 mph zone.

While driving in the wrong lanes, Ksiazek's vehicle hit four cars — a 2011 Volkswagen Golf, a 2002 Honda Civic, a 2001 Toyota Sienna and a 2013 Hyundai Elantra — before leaving the roadway and flipping over.

Another driver, Anatoliy Elkind, 48, of Vernon Hills, remains in critical condition at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Two other drivers were transported to hospitals — one to Advocate Good Shepard Hospital near Barrington and another to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights — with nonlife threatening injuries, police said.

The pileup closed Rand Road in both directions for more than three hours Monday afternoon.

There were four other accidents Monday afternoon on Rand Road between Arlington Heights Road and the area of Thomas and Dryden, but no other fatalities. Whowell said the other accidents were unrelated to the fatal crash.

Wrong-way driver dies in crash

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.