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Bartlett High School Football Player Killed, Brother And 3 Others Injured In Crash

BARTLETT, Ill. (CBS) -- One 16-year-old boy who played high school football is dead, and three other teenage boys were injured, in a crash Tuesday night in Bartlett.

At 9:15 p.m., Bartlett police were called to Newport Lane and Devon Avenue for the crash. They said a 16-year-old boy was driving a 2021 Honda Civic west on Devon Avenue from Newport Boulevard – which is a different street from Newport Lane – when his car hit the curb, a speed limit sign, and a utility pole. The car then flipped on its roof, police said.

The driver and the three passengers all had to be extricated. The 16-year-old boy who had been the front-seat passenger died at the scene.

Two other 16-year-old boys who had been in the back seat each suffered life-threatening injuries. One was taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, the other to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. The driver, age unspecified, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was also taken to St. Alexius.

The Bartlett Raiders youth football program identified two of the victims as twin brothers Alex and Adrian Czerwik, both players on the Bartlett High School Hawks football team.

Alex Czerwik
Alex Czerwik (via GoFundMe)

It was Alex who died in the accident, while Adrian suffered serious injuries, but was recovering, the program said.

The Bartlett Raiders family would like to send out there deepest condolences to all the families and friends who's...

Posted by Bartlett Raiders on Wednesday, August 4, 2021

"These boys were current members of the Bartlett Hawks high school football program and had been working hard at camp this summer to prepare for this upcoming season!" the team posted on Facebook. "Alex and Adrian were at our Raiders practice last night helping with our 9U team just two hours before this accident occurred. They had a wonderful time helping and chasing 9U players around the field."

The football program did not identify the other two teenage boys who were injured.

Late Wednesday, a crowd gathered at the spot where the crash happened.

"It's just terrible," said Thomas Flores. "It's a tragic thing for all these kids – the four of them."

Police said following the crash, Devon Avenue was closed between Newport Boulevard and Prospect Avenue for about six hours for an investigation. ComEd also had to shut down the electrical pole the car hit, and some residents lost power – though their power was back on by 7 a.m. Wednesday, police said.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Bartlett police at (630) 837-0846.

The Czerwik family has also set up a GoFundMe for funeral and medical expenses.

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