Winter Weather Makes “Perfect Storm” for Fatal South Suburban Crash

Saturday crash happened just after 1 p.m. on U.S. Route 52 south of Cedar Road near Manhattan

Saturday’s snow and slippery road conditions in the southwest suburbs made for what one official called "the perfect storm," and is believed to have played a role in a crash left at least one person dead and two others injured.

The crash happened just after 1 p.m. on U.S. Route 52 south of Cedar Road near Manhattan, according to authorities.

"There’s a curve out here and the road had become so slippery," said Dan Forsythe Fire Chief for the Manhattan Fire Protection District. "It looks like a car had lost control and it was t-boned by a northbound vehicle."

Two people were transported to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox in critical condition and one person was pronounced dead at the scene, Forsythe said. Two people that were in a pickup truck involved in the accident were not injured.

The Chicago Sun-Times later reported the driver of the vehicle, initially reported as injured, was later pronounced dead.

Forsythe said plows had not been through the area at the time of the crash.

"It was the perfect storm," he said.

The area was under a Winter Weather Advisory until 6 p.m. Saturday. The advisory warned that periods of moderate to heavy snow were expected to create hazardous travel conditions.

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