Watch CBS News

1 Killed In Eisenhower Crash

UPDATED 01/14/11 1:27 p.m.

ITASCA, Ill. (CBS) -- A young woman was killed in a crash early Friday, on the far end of the Eisenhower Expressway in the northwest suburbs.

About 3:30 a.m., Krystyna Kowalewski was driving a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am westbound on I-290 near Irving Park Road when the car rear-ended a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe, according to Illinois State Police Trooper Maria Navarro.

Kowalewski lost control and the car spun out, traveled across the right shoulder and went off the road, where it crashed into a road sign support beam. The car then went through a ditch and struck a tree, Navarro said.

Kowalewski, 22, of Hoffman Estates, was not ejected from the car, but was dead at the scene, Navarro said.

A spokeswoman for the DuPage County Coroner's Office confirmed the fatality.

Kowalewski was alone in the car and no one from the other vehicle was hurt.

CBS 2's Don Schwenneker reports firefighters had to use the jaws of life to cut the car out from around the tree.

The cause of the crash was not known, but speeding is likely, Navarro said.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.