5-year-old Palatine boy struck by car dies
A 5-year-old Palatine boy struck by a car Monday afternoon died from his injuries early Tuesday, police said.
The boy, identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office as Kobe Lewis, was hit about 4:15 p.m. while walking across Palatine Road east of its intersection with Winston Drive, according to police.
Witnesses saw Kobe walking alone and not in a crosswalk when he was hit by a gray 2006 Hyundai Sonata driven by a 53-year-old Bartlett man, police said. Police believe the man had just turned left from southbound Winston Drive onto eastbound Palatine Road when the boy walked in front of his vehicle.
The medical examiner's office said Kobe lived on the 1300 block of East Palatine Road, which is close to the crash site. Family members at the home Tuesday declined to comment.
Kobe, who according to reports from police was autistic, was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights after the crash, and then airlifted to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. He was pronounced dead there at 1:26 a.m. Tuesday, police said.
Kobe was not a student in Palatine Township Elementary District 15 or the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization.
The crash remains under investigation by Palatine police with assistance from the regional Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team. No citations have been issued at this time. An examination of Kobe's body is scheduled for Wednesday morning.