Off-duty Chicago police officer killed in Oak Lawn crash

Edwin Espinoza, 35, a probationary officer who was with the department one year, died in a single-car crash Sunday. A GoFundMe has raised more than $15,000 for his family.

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Sun-Times file

An off-duty Chicago police officer was killed in a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning in Oak Lawn, Chicago police officials said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the officer as Edwin Espinoza, 35.

Oak Lawn first responders arrived at the scene of a crash about 7:50 a.m. on 95th Street, according to Oak Lawn police. Espinoza — whose vehicle had slid off the road and struck a tree — was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

In an email sent internally to the Chicago Police Department, police Supt. Larry Snelling said Espinoza was a probationary officer who joined the department about a year ago and was assigned to the 15th District in the Austin neighborhood.

A GoFundMe account set up for Espinoza’s family had raised more than $15,000 by Sunday night.

The accident remains under investigation by Oak Lawn police.

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