Chef Jean-Claude Poilevey killed in Eisenhower pileup

Le Bouchon chef Jean-Claude Poilevey, 71, was killed in a 15-vehicle crash on the Eisenhower Expressway early Saturday, authorities said.

Poilevey was outside of his black 2007 Audi A5 on the outbound lanes of I-290 near Central about 12:40 a.m. when he was struck by another vehicle during the crash, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Illinois State Police. The chain-reaction crash likely was caused by black ice, police said.

Poilevey, of the 900 block of Fair Oaks Avenue in Oak Park, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead at 1:22 a.m., according to the medical examiner. An autopsy Sunday found he died of closed head injuries as a result of being hit by a vehicle, and his death was ruled an accident.

“We are heart broken,” tweeted Le Bouchon shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday. “The world lost an incredible man, chef, and friend.”

Two more people injured in the pileup were taken to Loyola and two others to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, state police said. Their injuries weren’t considered life-threatening.