Elgin truck crash death ruled accidental

Shortly before 6 a.m. Sept. 26, a dump truck driver turned south onto Shales Parkway from Route 20 in Elgin, triggering a crash that killed Luis Ramirez.

A Kane County coroner's jury Wednesday ruled the 54-year-old Elgin man's death accidental, with blame to be placed on the dump truck driver.

The problem is the driver kept trucking along and has not been found.

Elgin police officer Lawrence Jenco testified that witnesses gave three different descriptions of the color of the truck.

"Nobody was able to provide a license plate. Nobody could provide even a name on the truck," Jenco said. "In our opinion, (the truck turning) was a contributing factor to the crash."

Jenco said the dump truck turned in front of an eastbound Ford pickup truck that was hauling a horse trailer.

The pickup driver swerved to avoid the dump truck, but collided nearly head on with Ramirez, who was headed home from work in a Dodge Neon.

Ramirez, of 359 Fulton St., died almost instantly from the impact.

Deputy Coroner Amy Renwick said Ramirez was on his way home from work as a technician at a manufacturing firm. He did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system.

No traffic citations have been issued in the crash.

The impact sent both the pickup and Ramirez's car into a ditch, with the truck coming to rest on the car.

Traffic was diverted for about five hours onto Route 31.