FEBRUARY 26, 2015
WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS
The victim of Wednesday's fatal Metra-vehicle collision has
been identified by the McHenry County Coroner's Office as 19-year-old Amanda L.
Williams.
The Woodstock teen was traveling southbound on Lily Pond
Road when her vehicle apparently went onto the tracks at the Lily Pond Road
crossing. The vehicle was then struck by an inbound Metra train, Coroner Anne
Majewski stated in a release. Williams was pronounced dead a little before 5
p.m. at the scene.
Woodstock Police Chief Robert Lowen said preliminary
investigation indicates that the recent snowfall was a major contributor to the
crash.
"This is just very tragic ... just horrible
timing," Lowen said, adding it appears the teen attempted to brake, but
the vehicle instead slid onto the tracks just as the train was coming.
"Right now it appears this was an accident related to the icy road
conditions."
The vehicle ended up in a ditch about 200 feet east of the
intersection, according to the Woodstock Fire Rescue District. Woodstock Fire
Capt. Brendan Parker on Wednesday said the crossing is at the base of two hills
and when headed south, the road makes a quick curve before the tracks.
Williams, who played volleyball at McHenry County College,
was mourned by coaches and teammates Thursday.
Assistant volleyball coach Sheri Mayner took to Twitter to
share her thoughts and post a picture of Williams' No. 6 on the scoreboard at
the MCC gymnasium.
"The crying will stop, the pain will go away, but my
memories of you will always stay," Mayner wrote.
McHenry County College officials declined to allow coaches
to be interviewed Thursday, but released a statement on behalf of the
institution.
"The entire McHenry County College community offers our
deepest condolences to the family, friends and teammates of MCC student and
volleyball player, Amanda Williams," the statement read. "We share
our sympathy in this tragic loss. Amanda will be greatly missed.
//---------------------------------------------------------//
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS
Students and faculty at Belvidere North High
school are grieving tonight, after a former student is killed in a tragic
accident. 19-year-old Amanda Williams died last night, after the car she was
driving was hit by a Metra train in McHenry County.
The accident happened just
after 5pm Wednesday, at the Lily Pond Road crossing in Woodstock. Police say
Williams was driving southbound, when it appears she skidded onto the track and
was struck by the train. First responder and Fire Chief Ralph Webster says that
accident was not a head on collision, “(the car was) struck on passenger side
and was pushed off of the tracks into a ravine that was about a 20-30 foot drop
from the level of the tracks.”
While the exact cause is unknown, it was snowing at the time, and weather is believed to be a factor in the incident. “I believe so because of the road conditions, because the snow had started approximately an hour before, it was slippery. We felt that actually on our way out to the accident, I do believe it did play a factor in the accident,” says Webster. Webster describes the crossing at lily pond as a dangerous intersection to navigate; it’s located at the bottom of a hill with ravines on either side. ”The intersection at the train tracks you are actually coming down a hill and trying to navigate a curve at the same time , and then preparing to go up a hill once you get on the other side of the tracks, so it is a tricky intersection,” he says.
While the exact cause is unknown, it was snowing at the time, and weather is believed to be a factor in the incident. “I believe so because of the road conditions, because the snow had started approximately an hour before, it was slippery. We felt that actually on our way out to the accident, I do believe it did play a factor in the accident,” says Webster. Webster describes the crossing at lily pond as a dangerous intersection to navigate; it’s located at the bottom of a hill with ravines on either side. ”The intersection at the train tracks you are actually coming down a hill and trying to navigate a curve at the same time , and then preparing to go up a hill once you get on the other side of the tracks, so it is a tricky intersection,” he says.
Williams was a freshman at McHenry County Community College,
and had moved to the Woodstock area. She graduated from Belvidere North, where
she was known as a passionate volleyball player. And at Belvidere North, kids
spread the word on social media to wear black to mourn the former student and friend,
taken too soon.
There were no injuries to any of the passengers on the Metra
train. The accident is being investigated by the Woodstock Police and by Metra.
What a beautiful girl. Such a shame to lose her so soon. Her death will be very hard to get over.