Man Dies A Week After Elgin Rollover Crash
ELGIN, Ill. (STMW) -- A 57-year-old man who was involved in a rollover accident in Elgin last weekend died Friday of injuries suffered in the crash. Police said Thomas Merwin's blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash.
At approximately 5:10 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30, police responded to the area of Russell Road and Winding Hill Drive in Elgin for a single vehicle crash, a release from police said.
An investigation revealed that the 1998 Ford Explorer Merwin was driving left the road as it was headed south on Russell Road.
The Explorer rolled over several times and Merwin was ejected near Winding Hill Drive. Merwin was initially taken to Provena St. Joseph Hospital with significant injuries, police said. He was later airlifted to Rockford Memorial Hospital, where he remained until being pronounced dead at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Friday.
Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash, since Merwin's blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit, police said. This is the first alcohol-related fatal crash in Elgin since 2009, according to the release.
Elgin Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said, "while we have had very few alcohol related crashes in recent years, one is still too many."
The police would like anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact the Traffic Unit, at (847) 289-2661.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
