Accident in Stonegate Neighborhood Kills Teen: Arlington Heights Crash Into Tree Pins Passenger

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Video of extrication rescue by Arlington Heights firefighter/paramedics on Windsor Drive north of Northwest Highway about 1:00 a.m. Thursday, March 24, 2011. YouTube Tips ⓘ

UPDATE: John ‘Jack’ Gavin — identified as the male passenger in a car crash with a tree in — was pronounced dead about 8:00 a.m. Thursday, March 24, 2011 at Lutheran General Hospital. A 16-year-old driver survived the crash, and was released to his parents after he was examined by paramedics.




Arlington Heights police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 12:45 a.m. Thursday to a one-car crash into a tree on the west side of the park in the 400 block of South Windsor Drive. Police and firefighter/paramedics worked rapidly and with extreme care for a young male passenger that was pinned on the passenger side of a red 2000 Hyundai Sonata.

Firefighters/paramedics first removed the roof from the car with a Hurst cutter tool and an all-purpose saw. Next rescuers used a Hurst spreader tool to free the victim from the passenger side of the car where he was trapped. The patient was immobilized and transferred out the driver’s side door on a backboard to a gurney, and to the rescue-ambulance.

Extrication took about 30 minutes after severe damage on the passenger side of the car that hit the tree caused the entrapment.

The teen was transported to Level I Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

Arlington Heights police are investigating the accident.

Visitation for John J. “Jack” Gavin of Arlington Heights will be Monday, March 28, 2011 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lauterburg and Oehler Funeral Home, 2000 E. Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights. Prayers will be said Tuesday, March 29, at 9:15 a.m. at the funeral home, proceeding to St. James Catholic Church, 831 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, for a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment will be in All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines.

Details and Guestbook at … Daily Herald via Legacy.com John J. “Jack” Gavin


Arlington Heights firefighter/paramedics prepare to transfer a young male victim from his wrecked car to the rescue-ambulance.


Extrication rescues are quite a team effort among firefighter/paramedics, the battalion chief, and police.


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2 Comments

  1. I feel sorry for the parents of both teenagers and especially the ones that lost their son. My condolences are greatly expressed to them.

    From the video and the pictures it looks like they were speeding more than 25 mph. I think 16 yrs old is way to young to drive. Kids should b at least 18 or 20 to drive.

  2. So incredibly sad. The victim was from my neighborhood, and was extremely well liked. I pray for him, his family and the driver of the car who will always have a heavy heart from that day on. I also pray that Jack’s parents never see this video. It was heart wrenching.

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