Names released from Elburn multiple-vehicle accident that killed 2

Officials have released the names of the people injured in a multi-vehicle accident that took the life of a St. Charles couple early Saturday morning.

Wade and Denise Thomas were killed while riding their Harley-Davidson motorcycle Saturday morning near Elburn, officials said. The couple was part of a group of motorcyclists heading north on two-lane Route 47 to Wisconsin when a car crash in the oncoming lane sent a car into their path.

Accident investigators are still trying to piece together what happened, officials said, but six people were taken to hospitals for treatment: five to Delnor Hospital in Geneva and one to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

According to Lt. Patrick Gengler of the Kane County Sheriff's office, the injured were:

• Alia N Bernard of Aurora, driving a 1999 Toyota Solara, was transported to Delnor.

• Ryan M Anderson of Elburn, driving a 2008 Honda Civic, was transported to Delnor.

• Norman Turner of North Aurora, driving a 2003 Honda motorcycle, was transported to Delnor.

• Jerome L Bozonelos of Aurora, driving a 1982 Honda motorcycle, was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital.

• Mike D. Leather of Lisle, driving a 2007 Harley Davidson, was transported to Delnor.

• Nichole Buschman of Lisle, a passenger on Leather's Harley Davidson, was transported to Delnor.

Gengler said, aside from the death of the St. Charles couple, none of the other victims' injuries were life-threatening.

The crash happened around 8:40 a.m. near Smith Road, officials said.

A Cadillac was stopped in the southbound lane, waiting to turn left on to Smith with the Honda Civic stopped behind it.

The Oldsmobile Alero, driven by Bernard, drove into the rear of the Civic, pushing the Civic into the northbound lane, where it crashed with the motorcycles.

The Alero then hit the Cadillac, officials said.

The Thomases were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after paramedics arrived.

Bernard was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

The accident forced the closing of Route 47 between Main Street and Hughes Road near Elburn for more than six hours, as the sheriff's department and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team collected evidence and documented the scene.

The stretch of mostly rural road is a popular spot for groups of motorcyclists to travel. Saturday's group was not part of any official or organized ride.

One of the motorcycles in the crash ended up several hundred feet off the road, in a field.

Gengler said it is not clear if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

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