New father from Palatine killed in tollway crash

New father Svetoslav Detchev kissed his wife and 7-month-old daughter late Wednesday, said he loved them and headed off to another night shift at a medical supply delivery company.

It was the last time they'd see Detchev alive.

Just two hours later, the 26-year-old Palatine man was killed when the minivan he was driving slammed into the back of a semitrailer on Interstate 90 near the Hampshire-Marengo toll plaza.

"We're in shock. He'll never see his daughter take her first step, go to school or get married," sister Desislava Detcheva said. "He never did anything bad in his life. He was the best son, father, brother and friend."

Illinois State Police District 15 Sgt. Daniel Moore said both vehicles were headed west about 1:10 a.m. Thursday when the truck stopped for traffic in a construction zone. Detchev did not slow and collided with the rear of the truck, Moore said. Two lanes of the interstate were closed for more than three hours after the crash, officials said.

Police said Detchev was extricated from his 1995 Mercury Villager and pronounced dead at the scene. He died from multiple injuries, said Curt Bradshaw, a McHenry County deputy coroner. Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the crash, Bradshaw added.

Detchev's sister said her family moved to the U.S. from Bulgaria in 1999 after her parents got a green card. Detchev played soccer and volleyball at Palatine High School, where he graduated in 2003. He was especially proud when he became a U.S. citizen.

"Everyone enjoyed being around him, whether it was at the park or dancing," Detcheva said. "He's going to watch over his daughter and all of us."