Crime & Safety
Niles Man Dies From Injuries After 5-Vehicle Crash (UPDATED)
The accident happened Friday in the 7200 block of Dempster Street, near Harlem Avenue.
Niles, IL—A 55-year-old Niles man died from injuries he suffered Friday afternoon in a five-vehicle crash on Dempster Street, near Harlem Avenue, according to police.
The accident forced police to shut down the road at about 2:24 p.m. Friday, June 24. According to a police alert at around 7 p.m., the area was expected to be closed for several more hours.
Just after 2 p.m., John J. Grygorcewicz "experienced some type of medical distress" as he was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed in his black 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe in the 7300 block of Dempster, police said. His Tahoe then hit a curb and rear-ended a semi-tractor trailer in the 7200 block of the street.
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After hitting the semi, Grygorcewicz slammed into a minivan in the curb lane as it was slowing down for a red light at Harlem Avenue, according to police. The impact from that crash caused a chain reaction that involved a Mazada four-door and a Toyota SUV, police said.
When rescue workers from the Niles Fire Department reached the scene, they had to extricate Grygorcewicz from the driver's seat of the Tahoe. He was then taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries at about 3:05 p.m., according to police.
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The drivers of the other vehicles were not hurt, police said. The accident is still under investigation, and the major crash assistance team of the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force is helping Niles police.
PHOTO: The scene of a five-vehicle accident Friday, June 24, in the 7200 block of Dempster Street. (Niles Police Department)
ORIGINAL STORY
Niles, IL—Eastbound Dempster Road at Harlem Avenue has been shut down after a multiple car crash Friday afternoon, according to Niles police.
Initially, police said the area would be closed for at least 45 minutes, beginning at about 2:24 p.m. Friday, June 24 But an alert sent just before 3 p.m. stated that the stretch is expected to be shut down for several hours.
Drivers should look for alternate routes during that time.
The alert did not say how many vehicles were involved or if anyone was hurt in the accident.
Patch will continue to update this story.
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