Oct. 15--A serious crash that left one man dead on the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway closed all lanes into the city for several hours Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
The crash was reported at 12:49 p.m. on the I-94 northbound lanes at 79th Street, according to Illinois State Police. Lanes were reopened by about 4 p.m., according to the city of Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications and state police.
According to police and officials with the Cook County medical examiner's office one person was pronounced dead.
Officials said emergency crews responded to the crash, which caused all northbound lanes to be closed down. Northbound traffic was diverted off the expressway at 79th Street and motorists were able to get back on past 79th Street, according to state police.
Paramedics took two people to Stroger Hospital and another person to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, all in serious-to-critical condition, said a Chicago Fire Department spokesman. A fourth person refused medical attention.
Pedro M. Rico, 23, of the 2300 block of North Marmora Avenue was pronounced dead at 1:41 p.m. at Stroger Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office and state police.
Juanita Johnson, 36, said two trucks were involved in the crash and two people were ejected. She said they appeared to be seriously injured.
"I was across the street from the Dan Ryan on State when I heard the boom and came out and saw the smoke," Johnson said. "I actually seen the car sliding on the expressway and saw the two bodies on the side of the expressway, mangled up, twisted, real bad."
