3 killed, 1 injured in I-290 crash near Western Avenue

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Three people were killed and one person was injured early Tuesday morning in a crash on the outbound Eisenhower Expressway near Western Avenue.

Illinois State Police said the single-vehicle crash occurred around 2:15 a.m. The black 2012 Buick sedan was so badly mangled that it is almost unrecognizable.

The car was heading west on I-290 when the driver, a 42-year-old Chicago man, lost control, state police said. The vehicle went up a grassy embankment just past Western and struck a utility pole head-on.

A 29-year-old woman sitting in the front passenger seat and 41-year-old Henry Brooks, who was sitting in the rear left seat, died at the scene, ISP said.

The driver, who state police said was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle.

He and a 42-year-old man who was sitting in the rear right seat were rushed in critical condition to Stroger Hospital, where the passenger later died. The driver remains in serious condition, ISP said.

The identities of the two other deceased victims have not been released. Police said all four victims were from Chicago.

Investigators said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash.

All lanes of outbound I-290 were closed near Western for about four hours for the crash investigation.

A semi ripped part of its top off while trying to detour around the outbound I-290 closure. It got stuck on Van Buren underneath train tracks. Two other semis also got stuck under the Jackson tracks near Rockwell. No injuries were reported.

All lanes of the outbound expressway re-opened around 8:50 a.m.