Fatal Wheeling crash followed attempted traffic stop

Police were trying to stop the motorcycle involved in Sunday morning's fatal crash in Wheeling for speeding minutes before its driver lost control and struck a utility box, killing himself and a passenger, authorities said Monday.

Buffalo Grove police said officers saw the bike speed away from a gas station on the 200 block of Milwaukee Avenue and tried to make a stop at a traffic light north of Lake-Cook Road.

Instead, the bike sped away south on Milwaukee Avenue, ignoring the flashing lights from the squad car, police said. The officer then turned off the squad's emergency lights and called dispatch asking them to advise Wheeling police of the speeding motorcycle heading their way.

“We were never in any pursuit,” Buffalo Grove police Cmdr. Steve Husak said.

Husak could not say how fast the bike was going, only saying it left at “a high rate of speed.”

Squad cars would only engage in pursuit tactics in certain situations, but Sunday's did not qualify, he added.

The 2009 Suzuki crashed about 3:07 a.m. near Milwaukee Road's intersection with Center Avenue, killing it's driver, Sean Meyer, 26, of Wheeling, and passenger Justine M. Randall, 23, of Deerfield. Neither were wearing helmets, Wheeling Deputy Police Chief John Teevans said.

Wheeling police continue work with the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team on crash reconstruction, Teevans said.

They're also waiting on toxicology reports from the Cook County medical examiner's office. Teevans couldn't say when lab results would be returned.

“Hopefully we'll get results in the near future,” he said.

Meyer, a graduate of Warren Township High School in Gurnee, was a close friend of Randall's, Meyer's father said on Sunday.

Funeral arrangements for Meyer weren't available Monday.

Randall's family couldn't be reached.

Visitation for Randall will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Kolssak Funeral Home, 189 S. Milwaukee Ave., in Wheeling. A life celebration will follow at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Randall is survived by her parents, James and Deborah Randall, sisters, Brandy McDowell and Patti Aranda, and brothers, Bobby Bane and Jimmy Randall.

Wheeling police didn't release any further details on Monday. Buffalo Grove police said they will review the actions of their officers.