Man who crashed in Palatine died from heart attack

A man who crashed his car Saturday night in northwest suburban Palatine died naturally from a heart attack, authorities said.

Michael Moncek, 53, was driving his Lexus at 6:50 p.m. when he crashed into the rear of an unoccupied box truck parked on a shoulder in the 700 block of Palatine Road, Palatine police said.

He was transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where he died at 7:52 p.m., the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Moncek’s 53-year-old female passenger was treated at the same hospital and later released, police said.

An autopsy released Sunday found Moncek, who lived in North Barrington, died naturally from heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver.

Authorities have not said if the heart attack caused Moncek to crash. Palatine police said Saturday that the crash was under investigation.