Some West Ridge residents were awakened early Thursday by a loud bang and screeching metal after a speeding car crashed into another vehicle, seriously injuring a 14-year-old boy in that car.
The teen boy was in an Acura with his parents and sister when they were hit by a 25-year-old man who blew past a stop sign just after midnight in the 6300 block of North Albany Avenue, according to Chicago police.
The man, driving a yellow Ford Taurus, crashed into the Acura only two blocks away from the family’s home.
The impact caused the Acura to spin around and hit several parked cars before rolling over into the front yard of Steven Kurtz’s house.
“I’ve lived here over 30 years, and it was the first time I saw a car on my front lawn,” Kurtz, 66, said Friday. His car was among the others damaged in the crash.
The 14-year-old, who was in sitting in the back seat, suffered internal bleeding and a broken femur and was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was listed in critical condition Thursday, police said.
His sister, 15, was also taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital in good condition with bruising and stiffness, officials said.
Their father, 56, who was driving, felt pain throughout his body and was taken to St. Francis in good condition, police said. Their mother, 48, was in the front passenger seat and was taken to the same hospital for observation.
After hearing the crash, several neighbors walked out of their home to see what was happening.
Pieces of broken metal and glass littered the street Friday afternoon, and the cars damaged in the crash remained parked on the street.
Haofeng Yu, who lives next door to Kurtz, said the sound of the impact woke him up. He stepped outside and saw firefighters working to pull the injured family from the car.
“I was shocked,” said Yu, 46. “It was pretty serious. I hope they’re OK.”
A woman who also lives on the street but did not want to be identified, said she’s seen several speeding drivers drive through that stop sign.
“This street is bad,” she said. “People are always driving really fast, and it’s honestly a red flag in terms of safety.”
Drivers also often travel the wrong direction on Rosemont Avenue, she said. Rosemont is a one-way street in that area.
The 25-year-old man was scratched in the crash and taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, where he was in good condition, authorities said. He was cited for speeding, disregarding a stop sign and driving uninsured.