DEER PARK, Ill. — A routine drive turned tragic Tuesday afternoon when a 95-year-old man was struck and killed while attending to his disabled vehicle at a busy suburban intersection in Deer Park. The fatal crash has left authorities investigating how a moment meant to address a vehicle problem ended in the loss of a longtime community member.
Lake County sheriff’s deputies were called to the intersection of Lake Cook and Quentin roads around 3:15 p.m. after multiple 911 callers reported a serious crash involving two vehicles. Deputies had been dispatched only moments earlier to the same location following a report of a disabled vehicle stopped in the roadway, officials said.
According to investigators, the elderly man had exited his vehicle and was standing in the center lane when another car approached from behind and struck his disabled vehicle. The force of the collision caused significant damage to both vehicles and left the man lying in the roadway. First responders arrived to find him with severe injuries.
Despite emergency efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Lake County Coroner’s Office later identified the victim as Richard A. Krzysztofiak, 95, of Palatine. His death sent shockwaves through the area, especially given the circumstances in which he was attempting to deal with his disabled vehicle.
An autopsy conducted Wednesday determined that Krzysztofiak died from blunt force injuries sustained in the crash, according to the coroner’s office. Authorities have not released details about the driver who struck the disabled vehicle or whether any citations have been issued at this stage of the investigation.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team is continuing to examine the scene, vehicle damage, and other factors that may have contributed to the collision. Investigators are working to determine the sequence of events, including visibility, traffic conditions, and driver actions leading up to the crash.
Officials are reminding motorists to use extreme caution when approaching disabled vehicles or emergency situations on roadways, particularly at busy intersections. As the investigation continues, Krzysztofiak’s death serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly roadside situations can become deadly, even in broad daylight.
