One dead in Lake Zurich crash

An Oak Park man was killed and his wife severely injured in a head-on collision Saturday in Lake Zurich.

Robert Kowalski was traveling west on Route 12 near Ela Road about 11:30 a.m. when he lost control of his car, crossed the median and struck another vehicle, according to Lake County Coroner Richard Keller.

Kowalski, who was in his 60s, was pronounced dead of multiple injuries an hour later at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Keller said.

"It's likely what happened is he had a medical problem that caused him to lose control of his car," Keller said.

His wife, 66, who was a front seat passenger, was severely injured. She was airlifted from Good Shepherd to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, according to Lake Zurich police. Neither were identified by police but the vehicle was identified as a 2000 Cadillac.

"As he approached Ela Road, it appears the driver suffered from a seizure or heart attack while driving," police said in a news release. "As a result he lost control of his vehicle crossing over the median and into the oncoming lanes of traffic."

The Cadillac struck a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer driven by a 58-year old Lake Zurich man, who had been traveling east on Route 12. Police said the man was admitted to Good Shepherd but did not identify him.

Lake Zurich police are investigating the accident with the assistance of the Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County.

Further details were not available as of late Saturday.