Early on Sunday, July 31st, a blue van full of passengers was driving westbound on I-90 near Hampshire, a suburb of Chicago. Just after 2 a.m., a gray Acura came hurtling towards them in the opposite direction, and before anyone knew what was happening, the two cars collided head-on and were both entirely engulfed in flames.
The driver of the Acura was identified as 22-year-old Jennifer Fernandez, and she was found dead at the scene. The driver of the blue van was identified as 32-year-old Thomas Dobosz, who was sent to Loyola University Medical Center in critical condition. Tragically, Dobosz was the sole survivor of the car accident. All of Dobosz’s passengers were found dead at the scene, including his wife, 31-year-old Lauren Dobosz, and their four children: a 13-year-old girl, 7- and 6-year-old boys, and a 5-year-old girl, as well as a 13-year-old friend who was also in the car.
State police say that it is still not clear why Fernandez was traveling in the wrong direction on I-90. In addition to the head-on collision, this car accident also caused another collision: a semi-truck had stopped to allow a medical helicopter to land and was rear-ended by a second semi-truck. One of the trailers was torn open and boxes were strewn across the road. Fortunately, only one person experienced minor injuries from the second crash.
The Dobosz’s community is understandably reeling from this shocking and heartbreaking Chicago car crash. Family friends say the packed van was on its way to a vacation in Minnesota before the family’s lives were cut short. Teachers mourn the children who will not be in their classrooms this fall and coworkers lament how they won’t experience Lauren Dobosz’s creativity again.
If you or a loved one experiences a car crash in the Chicago area, know that there is help. There is no fee to Contact us for assistance during this difficult time.
