Man dies after heart attack, crash on South Side

A 55-year-old man died after suffering a heart attack and crashing on his way to a hospital last week in the South Side Burnside neighborhood.

Ernest Bass was driving about 3 p.m. Feb. 9 in the 9300 block of South Kenwood when he suffered a heart attack and lost control of the car, which struck a pole, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was injured in the crash, but was conscious when paramedics arrived at the scene.

Bass was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 4:20 p.m. Thursday, according to the medical examiner’s office. He lived in the South Side Avalon Park neighborhood.

Police said he died due to the heart attack and his “weakened state.”

An autopsy Friday found he died of blunt force injuries, and heart disease was listed as a contributing factor, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled an accident.