Head-on collision between SUV, NIU bus near Elburn critically injures St. Charles woman
Multiple people were sent to the hospital, including one with serious injuries, after a head-on collision between a bus and an SUV outside of Elburn on Sunday night, law enforcement officials said.
The bus, which held 22 passengers and one driver, was a part of the Northern Illinois University Huskie Bus Line, according to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said the SUV’s driver, a 25-year-old woman from St. Charles, was in critical condition with multiple traumatic injuries after the collision. She was taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva but was later flown by helicopter to Loyola Hospital in Maywood for further care, according to the release.
The woman was the only person in the SUV, which was a blue 2021 Hyundai Venue, officials said.
The bus driver, a 66-year-old man from Carpentersville, and multiple passengers of the bus were transported to area hospitals for minor injuries, the release said.
Kane County sheriff’s officials said the preliminary investigation indicates the bus was traveling west on Route 38 and the SUV was driving north on Francis Road.
The SUV came to a complete stop at the Route 38 intersection, then made too wide of a right turn onto Route 38, taking the vehicle into the oncoming westbound lane in front of the bus, officials said in the release. Officials said the bus was unable to avoid colliding with the SUV, which resulted in severe front-end damage to the SUV and minor front-end damage to the bus.
Kane County Sheriff’s Office detectives are continuing to investigate the crash, the release said.
Northern Illinois University did not respond to a request for comment.
