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Two victims of Ingleside car crash identified

Two Lake County men were positively identified as among the three people who were killed when a car crashed early Wednesday on Rollins Road in Ingleside.

The Lake County Coroner's Office identified the driver of the Kia Optima as Jon R. McKinney, 30, of the 24600 block of West Lake Shore Drive in Round Lake Beach, Lake County Sheriff's Det. Christopher Covelli said Thursday. Michael S. Mortensen, 33, of the 34700 block of North Gerberding Avenue in Ingleside, was identified as the front seat passenger, Covelli said.

The third occupant of the vehicle has not been identified, Covelli said.

Lake County Deputy Coroner Orlando Portillo said officials identified McKinney and Mortensen early Thursday using dental records, but had to wait to release the names until after family members were contacted.

Dental records were not available for the third person, Portillo said, so the coroner's office will need to use DNA testing.

Covelli said Mortensen was the registered owner of the car, but it's unknown why he was sitting in the front passenger seat. Covelli also said additional details regarding the crash remain unknown at this time.

McKinney, Mortensen and the third unidentified person were heading west along a blocks-long stretch of Rollins Road near Grant Woods at 1:40 a.m. Wednesday when the vehicle failed to negotiate a slight turn.

The Kia Optima ran off the roadway, over a yellow roadway sign, and into a large tree, authorities said. The Kia caught fire after the crash, and all three occupants were burned beyond recognition.

The car was fully engulfed when emergency crews arrived at the scene, Covelli said.

The bodies were found inside the vehicle after Fox Lake Fire Protection District officials put out the fire, Covelli said.

The crash remains under investigation.

Authorities working to identify victims, cause of Ingleside crash

  A car slammed into this tree on Rollins Road East of West Lake Shore Drive in Ingleside early Wednesday, killing three people. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
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