Crystal Lake rollover sends 7 to hospital

A rollover accident in Crystal Lake Friday evening sent seven people to the hospital, Crystal Lake police said in a news release.

At 7:04 p.m., emergency crews from the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and police departments responded to a report of a crash involving a 1995 Toyota 4Runner SUV and a 2007 Honda Odyssey van on Route 31 south of James R. Rakow Road.

The Toyota had two entrapped occupants, the driver Roberto DeAlba, 24, of Crystal Lake and an adult woman. A third occupant of the vehicle, a 3-month-old child, had been removed from the vehicle prior to emergency crews’ arrival by a citizen.

The Honda van was driven by Vasant R. Patal, 37, of Caledonia, Ill., and included three adult occupants.

Paramedics transported the vehicles’ occupants to local hospitals. Injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, but serious enough to require immediate medical attention, police said.

Police said an investigation revealed that the Toyota had been traveling north on Route 31 when loss of control occurred. This resulted in the vehicle crossing into a southbound lane occupied by the Honda. The Toyota collided with the Honda resulting in the Toyota rolling over and coming to rest in a ditch on the western portion of Route 31.

Traffic was diverted on Route 31 between Rakow Road and Virginia Road for about 90 minutes as emergency crews tended to the injured, and removed the vehicles and debris from the roadway.

Passenger information was not being released pending confirmation of identity, police said.

This accident remains under investigation and no citations have been issued at this time, police said.

Calls to the Crystal Lake police were not immediately returned.