Man Fatally Struck by Vehicle in Libertyville Identified by Coroner

The identity of the pedestrian who tragically lost his life after being struck by a vehicle near Libertyville on Thursday morning has been released by the Lake County Coroner’s Office.

Jose Guzman, a 51-year-old resident of Park City, was identified as the victim of the fatal incident. An autopsy conducted by Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek confirmed that Guzman succumbed to blunt force injuries sustained in the vehicle collision.

Emergency services, including the Libertyville Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office, promptly responded to the scene at approximately 3:20 a.m. The incident occurred at the intersection of Route 137 and Clover Drive in unincorporated Libertyville.

According to Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the authorities were alerted about a car-versus-pedestrian collision. Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered Guzman in critical condition.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a 2016 Kia Rio, driven by a 54-year-old man from Woodstock, was traveling westbound on Route 137 in the outer traffic lane. Tragically, the vehicle struck Guzman, who was walking in the same lane. The driver reported that he was unable to see the pedestrian before the collision occurred.

Guzman was immediately transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Kia, fortunately, escaped the incident without any injuries and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation, as confirmed by Deputy Chief Covelli.

Following the collision, Route 137 was temporarily closed in both directions between River Road and St. Mary’s Road. However, the road was reopened for regular traffic around 6 a.m.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team is currently examining the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.