Driver found fatally shot after Oak Park crash injures 14 others: officials

Man fatally shot after Oak Park crash

Police say a man was speeding down Harlem Avenue and crashed into a car and Pace bus.

OAK PARK - A multi-vehicle crash involving a Pace bus and a shooting in suburban Oak Park left one driver dead and 14 others injured, officials said.

What we know:

The incident occurred just before 9 a.m. Friday at Harlem Avenue and Lake Street.

Oak Park officials said a Toyota 4Runner was traveling at a high rate of speed on Harlem as it approached Lake while a pedestrian was crossing.

Investigators believe the presence of the pedestrian caused the Toyota to swerve, leading to a crash involving four vehicles and a Pace bus in the northbound lanes of Harlem Avenue.

Witnesses called 911, and a bystander approached the Toyota to check on the driver, identified as Thomas Cremeens, 48.

After the bystander stepped away from the vehicle, a gunshot was heard, officials said. Additional 911 calls reported the gunfire.

The first officer on scene found Cremeens slumped over inside the vehicle with an apparent head wound, according to officials. A gun was found on the vehicle’s floorboard.

Cremeens was pronounced dead at 9:13 a.m., officials said.

Fourteen other people were injured. Eleven were taken to hospitals, while three were treated at the scene. None of the injuries were considered serious.

What's next:

Police from Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park closed roads in the area for several hours to manage the scene and traffic. The roads reopened at about 2 p.m. 

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