Couple Dies In New Lenox Retention Pond

NEW LENOX, IL - Will County Coroner Patrick K. O'Neil announced on Monday morning that a couple from Matteson were killed on Sunday evening after their car drove into a retention pond in New Lenox. The incident occurred near the McDonald's restaurant on East Laraway Road. The victims have been identified as Gregory Real, 68, and Lana M. Real, 69. Both were taken by ambulance to the Silver Cross Hospital emergency room.

O'Neil said that Mr. Real was pronounced dead at 7:36 p.m. and Lana Real was pronounced dead at 10:32 p.m.

According to the coroner, Mr. Real's car left the roadway on Sunday evening near the intersection of Tower Lane and East Laraway Road. His car then drove into the retention pond where it became submerged. The New Lenox Police Department is investigating the double fatality.

Autopsies to determine their cause and manner of death are scheduled for later today, O'Neil said. Funeral home selection is also pending, he added.

New Lenox Deputy Chief of Police Louis Alessandrini told Patch that the Matteson couple had been visiting New Lenox on Sunday for dinner and they were returning home at the time of their accident, which was by the McDonalds and Jewel's grocery store. The tragedy happened at 6:24 p.m. and involved only one car, he said.

"It just appears they veered off the roadway, and the driver may have suffered some type of medical incident," Alessandrini said Monday morning.

Witnesses saw the car plunge into the retention pond. New Lenox Fire responded to the scene with divers. The couple's car was submerged underwater, Alessandrini said. The pond is 7 feet deep, but the bottom is extremely muddy. "The car was not even visible," he said.

The Reals were removed from their car around 7 p.m., the deputy chief of police said.

"It's an unfortunate accident," Alessandrini said. "According to the witnesses, they never even saw any brake lights go on."

Besides the New Lenox Fire's dive team and ambulances, several other agencies responded to the emergency including Frankfort Fire, Manhattan Fire, Orland Fire, Lockport Fire, New Lenox Police, Frankfort Police, New Lenox Emergency Services & Disaster Agency and Manhattan ESCA, according to Marissa Schrieber, public information officer for New Lenox Fire.

Image via New Lenox Fire Protection District