Autistic Boy, 5, Struck And Killed By Car In Palatine
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A 5-year-old autistic boy died early Tuesday after being struck by a car Monday afternoon in northwest suburban Palatine, police said.
The boy was walking alone across southbound Palatine Road just east of Winston Drive when he was struck by a gray 2006 Hyundai Sonata about 4:15 p.m., according to a statement from Palatine police.
Witnesses told police the driver had just turned left from southbound Winston onto Palatine when the boy walked into the path of the car, police said, citing preliminary reports. The boy was not walking in a crosswalk.
He was initially taken to Northwest Community Hospital, but due to the severity of his injuries, was taken by helicopter to Lurie Children's Hospital.
The boy was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:26 a.m. Tuesday, according to police. His name has not yet been released, but police said he lived near the crash scene and suffered from autism.
The driver of the Sonata, a 53-year-old Bartlett man, was not injured.
Palatine police are investigating the crash along with the Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)