JOLIET, IL — A young man from Indiana lost his life on Friday morning on the southern edge of Joliet after his car rear-ended a semi-trailer that was stopped with its hazard lights flashing along Route 53 in the vicinity of the Chicagoland Speedway and West Sharp Road.
According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English:
Officers responded to the southbound lanes of Route 53 north of West Sharp Road for a traffic crash with injuries shortly after 5:30 a.m.
A Western Star 4900 semi-tractor with trailer, driven by a 62-year-old resident of Manitoba, Canada, was stopped in the curb lane of southbound Route 53 when a southbound Chevrolet Cobalt, driven by an Indiana resident, collided into the rear of the semi truck’s trailer.
The semi truck’s hazard lights were activated, and that the semi’s driver had come to a complete stop in the lane of traffic to check his GPS, prior to the crash.
The driver of the semi was uninjured.
The Joliet Fire Department responded to the crash; however, the Indiana driver of the Chevrolet Cobalt was already dead.
Will County Coroner Laurie Summers announced that the crash victim was 32 years old, and his name was Robert Roach Jr. of Munster, Indiana.
The roadway was closed for a significant amount of time while a reconstruction of the crash took place.
Friday’s fatality remains under investigation by the Joliet Police Department Traffic Unit. Anyone with information or video regarding this crash is encouraged to contact the Traffic Unit at (815)724-3010, English announced.