The identity was officially released for a female passenger killed a car vs truck crash on I-94 near Gurnee as Maria Conchita Perez, age 35, of Waukegan. On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, an autopsy was conducted at the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary results indicate that Ms. Conchita Perez died from Blunt Force Injuries as a result of the crash.
On Saturday, May 23, 2026, at approximately 5:07 a.m., The Gurnee Fire Department, Libertyville Fire Department and Illinois State Police responded to Interstate 94 between Route 120 and O’Plaine Road near Gurnee for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
The two-vehicle crash involved a Mazda SUV, which was heavily damaged, and a semi-tractor-trailer truck. The passenger in the Mazda, Conchita Perez, was transported to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office was notified and responded to the hospital.
The crash remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police.
While Conchita Perez died due to the crash, another woman, the driver, was injured inside the Mazda compact SUV, which crashed with a semi-tractor-trailer truck and then bounced of the concrete J-wall early Saturday morning on Interstate 94 WEST near Gurnee Saturday morning.
Police, firefighters, and paramedics from the Gurnee Fire Department and the Libertyville Fire Department, and state troopers from the Illinois State Police responded about 5:07 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2026 to a report of a crash with injuries involving an SUV and a semi-trailer truck on Interstate 94 between Route 120 and O’Plaine Road near Gurnee.
Police and paramedics were informed that one vehicle was positioned sideways in lanes 1 and 2 with a victim inside that had a possible broken neck. The crash was located on I-94 WEST at the 11.75-mile marker.
Law enforcement, firefighters, and paramedics arrived to find Mazda compact SUV with severe front-end damage. A passenger in the Mazda was unresponsive with life-threatening injuries, and died from her injuries. The driver of the Mazda was transported to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with injuries initially believed to be non-life-threatening.
The driver Priscilla M. Martinez, age 29, of Gurnee was arrested and charged with Aggravated DUI involving death at 8:40 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2026. She was arrested by Illinois State Police – District 2.
Martinez was also charged with …
Class A Misdemeanor DUI (BAC 0.146)
Improper Traffic Lane Usage
Failure to Reduce Speed
Aggravated Use of a Communications Device Causing Death (Class 4 Felony)
Allegedly, while traveling 70 to 80 MPH, Martinez was looking at her phone before the crash with the truck.
Martinez has been held in custody awaiting her first court appearance.
There is an active investigation following the on-scene investigation. Lanes 1, 2 and 3 were shut down for the on-scene investigation after the crash until about 10:45 a.m.
The Mazda apparently hit the center J-wall head-on after crashing with the truck.
A gofundme account was setup by Frankie Rosa for the Maria Perez tragedy to help cover funeral expenses and for support of her only child …
Support Maria Perez’s Family After Tragedy
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