CAMPTON HILLS – A 30-year-old Wisconsin woman driving more than 100 mph caused a chain of crashes Saturday night that killed herself and an 18-year-old Maple Park man, Campton Hills Police Chief Dan Hoffman said.
Jennifer Liston, of the 3100 block of Old Gate Road, Madison, Wis., was involved in a minor hit-and-run crash in Geneva soon before the crash in the 42W700 block of Route 38, Hoffman said.
A Kane County Sheriff’s deputy reportedly saw Liston’s car traveling on Route 38 at Bricher Road. The deputy tried to stop her but ended the pursuit because she was driving too recklessly, Hoffman said.
Liston reportedly continued speeding west on Route 38, passing numerous vehicles. Witnesses told police she was driving recklessly and exceeded 100 mph.
Liston was passing a car about 8:45 p.m. when she hit an eastbound 2002 Pontiac Grand Am head-on, Hoffman said. He said her vehicle proceeded west and rear-ended a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, pushing it into the eastbound lane, where it collided with a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu.
Police described the scene as an absolute and complete tragedy.
Multiple police and fire departments throughout the county responded to the scene, which included a vehicle on its top, a smoking vehicle and cars sandwiched together, police said.
Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District personnel reportedly pronounced Liston dead at the scene.
The driver of the Grand Am, 18-year-old Zachary Bingham of Maple Park, reportedly was taken to Delnor Hospital. He was later flown to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, where police said he was pronounced dead.
The passenger in his car, 19-year-old Erin Pazin of Elburn, was taken to Delnor Hospital for with injuries that were not life-threatening, Hoffman said.
The driver of the 2012 Malibu, Kevin Kull of Sugar Grove, his passenger, Nadia Kull, 48, also of Sugar Grove, and the driver of the 2008 Malibu, Ryan Anderson of Sycamore, also were taken to hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
“This could have been a lot worse,” Hoffman said, noting Liston’s speed and the number of cars that use Route 38.
Police said Liston was driving with a suspended license and the 2003 Nissan Altima she was driving had been reported stolen out of Wheaton.
Authorities have not determined whether alcohol played a role in the crash.
Emergency teams were reportedly at the scene for about 6½ hours. The Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the accident.
