In Chicago, Illinois a two vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 57 last Friday night resulted in the death of a 53 year old man, and criminal charges against one of the drivers involved, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The auto accident took place around 11:00 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Halsted Street.
One person died at the scene and two others were transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with serious injuries. The victim, a South Side resident, was pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center less than an hour after the crash. An autopsy the next day determined that the he died from cervical injuries.
The Illinois State Police are handling the crash investigation. One of the drivers has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence, both felony charges.
The car crash allegedly took place when one vehicle was speeding and attempted to pass another. The collision involved a Chevy pickup truck and a Ford Expedition. The pickup truck reportedly struck the Expedition, causing both vehicles to flip over. The victim who died was ejected from one of the vehicles.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 200,000 and 300,000 vehicles rollover every year in the United States. Rollover crashes can cause fatal and catastrophic injuries. For example, in 2004, 33% of all auto accident deaths occurred in vehicles that rolled over. That same year, 10,553 people were killed in rollovers, 8,565 were killed in single car rollovers, and 15,312 were ejected from vehicles in rollovers.