A woman from Evanston driving a Ford Focus was killed in a head-on crash with a Chevrolet Suburban Sunday night on Grand Avenue over I-94 in Gurnee during snowy and freezing conditions.
Police, firefighters and paramedics from Gurnee responded about 8:54 p.m. Sunday, November 9, 2025 to a report of a crash with injuries in Gurnee on Grand Avenue over Interstate 94. Police discovered a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban collided head-on with a 2007 Ford Focus traveling eastbound on Grand Avenue. The impact forced the Ford Focus off the roadway and into a ditch.
The driver of the Ford Focus, a 29-year-old female from Evanston, Illinois, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Lake County Coroner’s Office will release the name following family notification. A 29-year-old female passenger from Waukegan, Illinois, along with her 5-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter, were transported to an area hospital with injuries. Their current conditions were unknown, according to the Gurnee Police Department.
The driver and passengers of the Chevrolet Suburban did not initially report any injuries.
A third vehicle, a Toyota Highlander driven eastbound on Grand Avenue alongside the Ford Focus, was struck by debris from the collision, which caused a flat tire on the Toyota Highlander. The occupants of the Highlander were not injured.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban was traveling westbound on Grand Avenue in the center lane and attempted to change lanes. Due to snow and freezing winter weather conditions at the time, the vehicle is believed to have struck a patch of ice, causing it to lose control, cross over the center median, and enter the eastbound lanes of traffic.
The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. Grand Avenue remained closed until approximately 3:30 AM while investigators processed the scene. Grand Avenue (Route 132) is a four-lane Illinois state route with three lanes in each direction — a center straight through lane, a right straight through land, and a third lane for entrance and exit ramps to Interstate 94 below the bridge. There is a narrow curbed median. The Speed Limit is 45 MPH according Google Maps Street View images captured September 2024. There is a narrow concrete shoulder in each direction that is less than the width of a passenger vehicles.
The Gurnee Police Department would like to thank the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Deputy Unit and the Libertyville Police Department for their assistance.
— Gurnee Police Department
The incident investigation is ongoing by the Gurnee Police Department and the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT).
There were numerous weather-related crashes overnight Sunday to Monday morning, especially on expressways and tollways.
DEVELOPING IF CONTENT IS AVAILABLE …
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor
