2 dead, driver injured in crash outside Midlothian Secretary of State facility

MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. (WLS) -- Two people have died and an elderly driver is in critical condition after a crash outside a Secretary of State facility Wednesday afternoon.

Police said they were called to the parking lot of the facility at 14434 Pulaski Road for reports of pedestrians struck. When they arrived, they found an elderly man driving in the parking lot had suffered a medical event.

As a result, he hit the gas and accelerated, striking several parked cars and two elderly pedestrians before crashing into the building and coming to a stop, according to police.

The driver and both pedestrians were taken to Christ Hospital in critical condition, police said. The pedestrians, an 80-year-old man and 75-year-old woman, died later at the hospital. There has been no update on the elderly driver in the crash.

The man was identified as Thomas Coyne, and the woman as his sister Kathleen Coyne.

"He's just a lovely, lovely, kind, kind man," said Karen Bragg, neighbor. "The kind of neighbor you would like to have."

Surveillance video shows the speeding car and the impact. Another angle shows the car narrowly missed a customer sitting inside a restaurant.

"Where he ended up when he came through, sadly, he hit a few people but missed a lot of other people," said Christopher Bartollini, witness.

Customers ran out to help and bystanders leapt into action.

"Once I heard the glass shatter I ran outside. I seen the guy still in the car. Pedestrians were coming up to the car to see if he was alive, breathing," said Kristy Barber, who heard the crash.

Paramedics said the elderly man behind the wheel had to be pulled from the car, and believe a medical emergency made him lose control of the vehicle.

Bartolini said bystanders to the incident rushed to help the Coynes, but their injuries were too severe.

An investigation by Midlothian police and the South Suburban Accident Reconstruction Team is ongoing.