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1 Dead, 4 Injured In Rogers Park Crash

(STMW) -- One person was killed and four others were critically injured when a speeding car struck a tree Thursday night on the city's north border in Rogers Park.

The crash occurred about 9:10 p.m. in the 2900 block of West Howard Street, police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said. Only one car was involved.

The car was speeding when the driver lost control and struck a tree, Greer said.

Witnesses told police that the 1993 Honda was travelling eastbound on Howard at a high speed when traffic slowed or stopped, causing it to veer off the road and hit the tree, News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.

One male was killed in the crash, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. The victim, who was driving the car, was pronounced dead at the scene, Mirabelli said. His identity was unknown as of Friday morning.

Four other people were critically injured and taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to Fire Media Affairs.

The passengers were two 19-year-old men, one 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman, Mirabelli said.

A fifth passenger, a male, fled the scene of the accident on foot, Mirabelli said. As of Friday morning police were still waiting to speak with the other occupants to determine what caused the accident and why the individual may have fled.

The police Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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