70-year-old man dies after being hit by car in Rolling Meadows at notably dangerous intersection

A 70-year-old man died after he was hit by a car in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows on Wednesday morning. 

Around 9:15 a.m., police responded to a crash at the intersection of Algonquin Road and Meadowbrook Industrial Court, and found a man in the street.

The man was taken to Endeavor Health Northwest Community Hospital in critical condition. Police confirmed on Thursday that he later died from his injuries. 

The victim has been identified as William Capozzielli, 70. 

Neighbors said the intersection where this deadly crash happened is part of a stretch of road that often turns treacherous, and there are safety changes that need to be made to benefit pedestrians and drivers alike.

Ewa Konczewski and Nicole Hitzel both work in the neighborhood and walk the street daily, even in the extreme cold. They said they often don't feel safe when doing so, and have narrowly avoided accidents themselves, especially since the road is wide and can take a long time to cross on foot. 

Both said heavy traffic, speeding and difficult turns make the intersection especially dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. City officials said they've been aware of the challenges and have been planning changes.

"The city has been working for a while on realigning the intersection of Meadowbrook and Algonquin roads," said Assistant City Manager Glen Cole.

Cole said the goal is to straighten the intersection, which will improve sight lines and shorten crossing distances. 

"We're looking to realign it so it comes directly into Algonquin Road, so there's a nice short distance to turn, or to cross and to see people," he said. 

Algonquin Road is a state route, meaning any major changes require coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation. The city says they plan to continue talks on redesigning this intersection as part of broader bicycle and pedestrian safety efforts along Algonquin Road.

Residents say improvements can't come soon enough.

Police said the driver who struck Capozzielli stopped at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. No charges have been filed as of Thursday morning.