ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A young driver lost his life in a dramatic early-morning crash. His car went airborne, smashed through a sound barrier, and landed on Interstate 55. Police identified him as 20-year-old Johnathan Wenzel.
The wreck happened around 4:30 a.m. on Route 126 near mile marker 260. Wenzel sped in a red Ford Fusion on a frontage road. He hit a curve, flew through the air, and broke the wall. Firefighters cut him from the wreckage, but he died at the scene. Records show he lived just a quarter-mile away.
Chain Reaction Crash
A black Ford SUV then slammed into Wenzel’s car on I-55. The SUV driver suffered minor injuries. Chopper video showed a big hole in the barrier. Illinois State Police noted at least two more vehicles got involved.
Road Chaos and Cleanup
Northbound I-55 lanes closed for eight hours between Routes 30 and 126. Traffic backed up bad. All lanes reopened by 12:42 p.m. Romeoville cops lead the probe into speed and that risky curve.
Neighbor Warnings
Locals call the spot dangerous for years. Danielle Rivera saw police lights and woke her husband. “That curve causes wrecks,” she said. A neighbor once had a car crash through their yard. Drivers, slow down on curves—lives hang in the balance.
