Coroner IDs Woman Killed In Crash With Police Car

SPRING GROVE, IL — The McHenry County Coroner's Office has identified the woman killed Sunday in a multi-vehicle crash involving a Spring Grove police squad car, according to preliminary autopsy findings released by the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.

The woman was identified as Dawn Smith, 65, of Spring Grove, according to the coroner's office.

Smith, a passenger in a 2015 Kia Soul, was killed after the Soul was struck by a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe operated as a Spring Grove police squad car at U.S. Route 12 and Winn Road, according to the preliminary investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

The Tahoe was traveling west on Route 12 with its emergency lights and sirens activated while responding to a call for service in another jurisdiction. The traffic signal for westbound Route 12 was red when the squad entered the intersection and collided with the Kia, authorities said.

The impact sent the Tahoe into the eastbound lanes, where it struck a 2022 Jeep Compass head-on. The Jeep was then struck by an eastbound 2023 Honda CR-V.

Smith was transported to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy was performed Sept. 16. Toxicology testing remains pending, and the final cause and manner of death remain under investigation, Rein said.

A 65-year-old man who was also riding in the Kia was flown to Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford with serious injuries.

The 60-year-old driver of the police squad was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered serious and was later released. The driver and passenger of the Jeep were also taken to a local hospital and later released, authorities said.

The driver and two passengers of the Honda CR-V were not injured.

The crash remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Traffic Crash Investigation Unit.