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New Year's Eve crash in Chicago area leaves driver dead

By Will Hager
Published  January 2, 2026 9:58am CST
McHenry County
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • A driver was killed in a New Year’s Eve crash in the northwest suburbs.
    • Authorities say the SUV left Route 173, hit a tree and caught fire, killing them at the scene.
    • Investigators believe weather conditions and speed may have contributed to the crash.

HARVARD, Ill. - A driver died in a car crash on New Year's Eve in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

What we know:

The person was driving westbound on Route 173, west of Oak Grove Road, around 5 p.m. when the Nissan Rogue ran off the roadway and struck a tree, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

The vehicle became fully engulfed in flames after the crash.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity has not yet been released.

Officials said weather conditions and speeding likely played factors in the crash.

The crash is under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.

The Source: The information in this report came from the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.

McHenry CountyNews