Two released from hospital after Prairie Grove motorcycle crash

PRAIRIE GROVE – Two people have been released from the hospital after a three-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle Thursday evening.

About 5:12 p.m., Douglas Hahnen, 53, of Chicago was traveling north on Route 31 near Edgewood Road on his 2008 Harley-Davidson when he rear-ended a 1996 Toyota Corolla. The impact caused the Corolla to hit a 2001 Ford Ranger, said Officer J. Page of the Prairie Grove Police Department.

Hahnen was transported to Centegra Hospital-McHenry with facial injuries. His passenger, 49-year-old Karee Schendel of Algonquin, had minor injuries and declined treatment.

The driver of the Corolla, 19-year-old Ashley Stender of McHenry, also was taken to the hospital with neck and back injuries, Page said.

The driver of the Ranger, 49-year-old Scott Appleton of Bangor, Mich., was not injured and was able to drive his truck from the crash.

Page said Hahnen was traveling about 25 or 30 mph when he crashed.

"The reason was there was a police car stopped writing a ticket to someone, and he was watching the police car, not watching the slowing traffic," Page said.

Neither Hahnen nor Schendel were wearing helmets. Stender and Appleton were wearing seat belts, Page said.

Hahnen was charged with following too closely and driving without proof of insurance.

– Sarah Sutschek