A Rolling Meadows mother and five children were among seven people killed early Sunday morning in a fiery head-on crash on westbound I-90 in McHenry County after a car traveled the wrong way, Illinois State Police said.
State police said officers from the 15th District responded at approximately 2:11 a.m. to the scene near Hampshire. Deputies said the vehicles involved, a 2005 Chevrolet station wagon and a 2010 Acura TSX, were fully engulfed in flames.
Six passengers in the van died, including Lauren Dobosz, 31, of Rolling Meadows, and five children: two 13-year-old girls, a 7-year-old boy, a 6-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy. .
The driver of the Acura, Jennifer Fernandez, 22, of Carpentersville, was also killed.
All seven victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the van, Thomas Dobosz, 32, of Rolling Meadows, was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with serious injuries.
According to a preliminary investigation, the van was westbound on I-90 when the crash occurred.
State police said “for unknown reasons” the Acura was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes and struck the front of the van. Both vehicles then burst into flames.
Firefighters from the Hampshire Fire Protection District responded to the scene of the crash at 2:13 a.m. The Marengo, Genoa and Pingree Grove fire protection districts assisted.
All westbound lanes of I-90 near mile marker 33 had been closed for the investigation, with traffic diverted to Anthony Road. They were reopened around 9:25 a.m
The investigation is being conducted by the Illinois State Police. The McHenry County Coroner’s Office also responded.
State police said no further information has been released at this time.