Alcohol A Factor In Fatal Wrong-Way Crash On Eisenhower

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A Southwest Side man was killed and five other people were injured in what police say was an alcohol related wrong-way crash early Sunday on the Eisenhower Expressway near west suburban Forest Park.

A wrong-way driver's van and two other vehicles crashed at 4:40 a.m. in the inbound lanes of I-290 at the Des Plaines exit, according to Illinois State Police.

A passenger in the van, 29-year-old Juan Carlos Salazar, died in the crash, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Salazar, of the 6300 block of South Archer, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:25 a.m., the medical examiner's office said. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

Five others were hurt, including the wrong-way driver, and they were taken to hospitals, where they were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The wrong-way driver was charged with DUI and additional charges were pending against him, Illinois State Police said.

Inbound lanes near the site of the crash were closed for more than five hours Sunday morning, but were reopened at 10:10 a.m., Illinois State Police said.