Man killed, woman seriously injured in Prairie Grove crash

A 25-year-old man was killed and a 51-year-old woman seriously injured in a head-on crash Monday night in northwest suburban Prairie Grove.

A 2002 Cadillac Deville was southbound in the 2200 block of Route 31 at 6:11 p.m. when it passed another vehicle, lost control, entered the northbound lanes and struck a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer head-on, according to the McHenry County sheriff’s office.

The 25-year-old man driving the Cadillac was taken to Centegra Hospital in McHenry, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later, according to police and the McHenry County coroner’s office. He was identified as Bartlett resident Patrick M. Wixted.

The driver of the Mercury, a 51-year-old McHenry woman, was taken to the same hospital in serious condition, police said.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts and both airbags deployed, police said.

An autopsy found Wixted died of blunt force injuries in the crash, with a final ruling on his manner of death pending toxicology test results.

The sheriff’s Traffic Crash Investigations Unit is handling the case.