Thomas Byrne dies in fatal North Chicago car crash
Fatal North Chicago car crash death of Thomas Byrne
Thomas Byrne, a 33-year-old man identified by the coroner, lost his life following a collision in North Chicago. Reports indicated the accident resulted in one of the cars bursting into flames after the crash.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek performed an autopsy on Thomas Byrne, concluding his death was due to injuries sustained in the vehicle collision. Details surrounding the initial call prompted emergency services to respond quickly.
North Chicago Police and Fire units arrived promptly at 12:05 p.m. on September 21 to address a report of a two-car accident involving possible injuries. A caller reported seeing one vehicle completely ablaze, potentially trapping a person inside.
The Major Crash Assistance Team is assigned to investigate the incident at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Meadow Lane. Responding officials discovered two separate vehicles involved in the crash, with one suffering extensive fire damage and the other, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, showing significant impact damage.
Fire Chief John Umek confirmed the scene involved a two-vehicle impact. His department observed one car was completely consumed by flames while the second vehicle was reported to be heavily damaged by the collision. Both vehicles were reported to be occupied solely by their respective drivers.
Thomas Byrne, who was inside the vehicle that experienced the fire, was pronounced deceased at the location.
