One Dead, Two Injured in Three-Car Crash
On May 5, 2026, at 4:18 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Black Road and Essington Road for a multi-vehicle crash with injuries.
Early this morning, the Joliet Police Department was notified that the 73-year-old female driver of the Subaru Forester involved in yesterday’s crash at Black Road and Essington Road was unfortunately pronounced dead at St. Joseph Medical Center.
Will County Coroner Laurie H. Summers reported the victim as Marilyn Hertko, 73, of Joliet. Final cause and manner will be determined following Medical Records review, Police and Toxicological reports.
A preliminary investigation determined that a Subaru Forester driven by a 73-year-old Joliet woman was traveling eastbound on Black Road approaching Essington Road.
It is alleged that the Subaru entered the intersection at a high rate of speed and struck a Chrysler Pacifica driven by a 53-year-old Joliet woman that was northbound on Essington Road making a left turn on a green traffic arrow toward westbound Black Road.
Following the initial collision, it is believed the Subaru struck a Ford Explorer driven by a 53-year-old Joliet man and a Jeep Liberty driven by a 32-year-old Joliet man. Both vehicles were stopped northbound on Essington Road at the red light at Black Road. The Subaru then rolled over before coming to rest.
The driver of the Subaru, later identified as Hertko, was extricated from the vehicle by the Joliet Fire Department and transported to St. Joseph Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Chrysler was also extricated from her vehicle, and she and a juvenile passenger were transported to St. Joseph Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. A passenger in the Jeep was treated at the scene by paramedics for a minor injury.
The intersection remained closed for several hours while members of the Joliet Police
Department Traffic Unit reconstructed the crash scene.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with video footage or additional information related to the crash is urged to contact the Joliet Police Department Traffic Unit at (815) 724-3010.
