Elgin teen dead, toddler injured in Randall Road crash

A 16-year-old high school student is dead and a 4-year-old girl hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash in St. Charles Township Friday afternoon.

The crash occurred a little after noon when a 2000 Toyota Camry driven by Jerry J. Martinez, 16, of the 12N200 block of Tina Trail in unincorporated Elgin, collided head-on with a 2004 Lincoln Navigator driven by Victoria Marie Biniak, 35, of the 2200 block of Brookwood Drive in South Elgin. Biniak had her 4-year-old daughter, Elisa A. Biniak, in her vehicle.

Martinez, a student at Central High School in Burlington, was transported to Delnor Hospital in Geneva where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Central High School was on early dismissal Friday because of a teacher in-service day.

Police did not know for sure if Martinez was a licensed driver yet.

The Biniaks were transported to Delnor with what sheriff's police called "non-life-threatening injuries." Their conditions early Friday night were not immediately available.

The collision occurred at Randall and Red Gate roads, near St. Charles North High School. None of the victims involved were students or employees of the school, police said.

The cause of the collision is unknown, police said. Police had not interviewed Victoria Biniak as of late Friday afternoon. No citations have been issued.

Sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler said drivers must be particularly careful on that stretch of Randall Road because it has changed dramatically in just the past five years. Once virtually a straight through-way from St. Charles to South Elgin, there are now many more traffic lights and vehicles on the road as more residential growth has come to the area.

"You just never know where the hazards may come from," Gengler said. "Take your time. It may take you longer to get there, but always be safe."