Cause of Elburn pileup still unknown

Police have yet to determine the cause of a nine-vehicle pileup in May that killed a St. Charles couple riding in a pack of motorcycles, an investigator said Wednesday.

Kane County Sheriff's Sgt. Branden Gentry testified in front of a coroner's jury, which ruled the deaths of Wade and Denise Thomas as undetermined.

Last month, authorities dismissed a citation against a 24-year-old Aurora woman involved in the crash and indicated more serious charges were under review.

Police say the Aurora woman rear-ended another vehicle at the intersection of Route 47 and Smith Road near Elburn. The impact pushed a third vehicle into oncoming lanes as a pack of 20 to 30 motorcycles passed in the other direction.

Witnesses and police said visibility and weather conditions were ideal, and they have questioned whether the first driver was distracted.

"For a reason yet to be determined, she struck a second vehicle, which caused a chain reaction," Gentry testified, noting the investigation is ongoing. "We are still waiting on some lab results" and the results from an investigation by the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team.

Deputy Coroner Lisa Gilbert said the Thomases suffered massive trauma when their motorcycle struck the Honda Civic that was pushed into their path. The husband and wife, ages 44 and 45, respectively, died at the scene. Several other motorcycle riders were seriously injured.

Relatives of the Thomases say they want someone to be held accountable.

"This is tragic that a young person could do this, and I pray to God she can't get away with this and do this to someone else," a sister of Wade Thomas said Wednesday. "They paid a very high price for her actions."

Friends and family said the Thomases married about a year ago and had eight children between them from prior marriages. They were described as cautious motorcycle riders and an "extremely happy" couple.

"Wade missed his youngest son graduating from eighth grade," the sister said. "Denise missed the birth of her grandchild."

Authorities said Wade Thomas, who was driving, had minor traces of alcohol in his system but was well below the threshold for driving in Illinois; Denise Thomas was passenger and had no traces of drugs or alcohol. Police said neither wore a helmet, which is legal in Illinois.