A community is in mourning after a mother of five on her way home from work was killed in a two-vehicle car crash Tuesday night in Elk Grove Village after a car ran a red light.
The accident took place at 11:22 p.m. near Biesterfield and Meacham Roads, according to Elk Grove Village Police Department. A preliminary investigation revealed that a Lexus, traveling northbound, disobeyed a red traffic signal at the intersection and slammed into a Honda SUV.
The Honda, traveling eastbound, had a green light, police said.
The sole occupant of the Honda was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced deceased, police said. The victim was later identified by family as Andrea Garcia, 45, of Des Plaines.
According to family members, Garcia, a mother to five children who range in age from four to 27, was on her way home from work at the time of the crash.
Four occupants inside the Lexus -- three juveniles and one adult -- were transported to nearby hospitals for non-life threatening injuries, police said. They were treated and later released.
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Early Wednesday, the scene of the crash remained active, with officers blocking the intersection of Biesterfield and Meacham Roads through 8:30 a.m.
Photos and video from the scene showed two badly damaged vehicles with airbags deployed. Debris from car parts and items inside the vehicles could be seen strewn across the roadway.
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In one photo, a mangled tree and downed light pole could be seen near the damaged Honda.
NBC 5's Lisa Chavarria reported early Wednesday that several teenagers came to the scene and indicated that those involved in the crash may have been friends of theirs.
"I came to the scene because I saw it on one of my friend’s Snapchat stories and I believe he was involved," one said. "It’s really horrible to see cars like this, just totaled."
Wednesday afternoon, a memorial near the crash site with candles, flowers and cards grew. Inside Garcia's Des Plaines apartment, family members had erected a shrine to honor Garcia's life.
"I saw bumpers, everything, everywhere," said Lynn Braner, who works at a restuarant near the accident site. "It had to be very hard on the family to see all that."
According to police, an investigation remains ongoing.
