Lake Villa man killed in crash

A 26-year-old Lake Villa man was killed and four other people were injured in what police officials described as a “horrible” crash on Rollins Road at Route 45 on Monday morning.

Calvin Jackson was pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Lake County sheriff's Lt. Christopher Thompson said a 2008 Lincoln Navigator heading east on Rollins Road at 9:22 a.m. went through a red light at the Route 45 intersection and struck a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee hard enough to cause the rear door of the vehicle to “rip open.”

When the hatchback door opened, Thompson said, Jackson, a 2-year-old boy and a 3-year-old boy were ejected from the vehicle.

They were not wearing seat belts or strapped into child safety seats while riding in the back seat of the Grand Cherokee, Thompson said.

“Investigators did not see child safety seats from the Cherokee at the scene,” he said. “Also, the preliminary investigation showed the three were not buckled in.”

Two other people in the Grand Cherokee the 18-year-old male driver from Waukegan and his 17-year-old female passenger suffered back and neck injuries, officials said. It's unclear if they were buckled in, Thompson said.

All five of the Grand Cherokee occupants were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in “very serious condition,” he said.

The children were later taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where they are being treated for serious head injuries, Thompson said.

Preliminary results showed Jackson died from “serious head injuries,” Thompson said. Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said an autopsy would be performed Tuesday.

The 46-year-old female driver of the Navigator from Round Lake Beach was not injured in the accident.

A 2-year-old child in the Navigator was also not injured in the accident. That child was secured into a child safety seat, Thompson said.

Authorities had not released the names of the other people involved in the crash Monday evening.

Ÿ Daily Herald correspondent Emily Jurlina contributed to this report.