Five injured to two-car crash on Route 176

PRAIRIE GROVE – Five people were injured Saturday afternoon in a head-on collision on Route 176.

A blue Mazda sedan collided with a beige Chevrolet sedan on Route 176 near Barreville Road in Prairie Grove. Nine people were taken to local hospitals. Two helicopters were called in to assist with transporting the injured, Nunda Township Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Mike Keenan said.

At least one of those injured was a young child. A small girl cried as he was taken away in a stretcher to a waiting ambulance. Emergency crews removed the driver of the Mazda from the car with help from the Jaws of Life. He also was taken away in an ambulance.

The driver of the Mazda and three passengers were transported to the hospital. Three were taken to Centegra Hospital – McHenry, and the fourth was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, said Ron Lyons, director of public safety for Prairie Grove Police Department.

The woman driving the Chevrolet was flown to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Lyons said. She was the only person in that vehicle.

Both Lyons and Keenan said they could not release any further information about those injured.

A third car swerved to avoid the collision and ended up in a steep culvert on the side of the road. The driver of that car was not injured and drove away with help from several people who had come to look at the scene.

The collision happened about 5 p.m. A portion of Route 176 was closed while emergency crews assisted the injured and removed the damaged cars.

Prairie Grove police are leading the investigation into the collision. Assisting on the scene were departments from Wauconda, McHenry, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Algonquin, Wonder Lake, and Woodstock.