Driver killed, three passengers injured in head-on crash in Gurnee

An Evanston woman was killed and three passengers, including two children, were injured in a head-on crash Sunday night in Gurnee, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 8:54 p.m. as a 2004 Chevy Suburban traveling west on Grand Avenue over Interstate 94 attempted to change lanes, police said. The Suburban is believed to have hit a patch of ice and then crossed into oncoming eastbound traffic, where it collided head-on with a 2007 Ford Focus.

The impact pushed the Focus off the road and into a ditch, police said. The 29-year-old Evanston woman behind the wheel was pronounced dead at the scene.

She was identified Monday afternoon by the Lake County Coroner’s Office as Bria Allen. An autopsy determined she died of blunt force injuries suffered in the crash.

A 29-year-old female passenger from Waukegan and her 5-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter were hospitalized. Their conditions were unknown Monday morning, police said.

The driver and passengers of the Chevrolet Suburban were not injured, police said.

A third vehicle, a Toyota Highlander traveling east on Grand Avenue alongside the Focus, was struck by debris from the collision and sustained a flat tire but the occupants were not injured, according to police.

Grand Avenue remained closed until approximately 3:30 a.m. Monday. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Deputy Unit and Libertyville police assisted.

Gurnee police and the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team continue to investigate the crash.