A driver and a juvenile passenger were transported to an area hospital with serious injuries after a crash in Cedar Lake this past Saturday, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez.
Just after 12 p.m., police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department responded to a one-vehicle crash at 10477 State Line Road.
A preliminary investigation indicated the driver of a 2005 Chevy van was headed northbound on State Line Road when the vehicle began to veer off the roadway. The driver apparently overcorrected and the van struck a tree, according to the investigation.
The driver, a 41-year-old woman and a 10-year-old female passenger, from Chicago, were trapped in the van. A Lake County police officer was able to help safely remove the passenger. Fire department personnel removed the driver. Both were transported to an area hospital. The driver sustained injuries to her legs. The passenger suffered leg and back injuries.
A 47-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, from Chicago, were also riding in the van and were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
At this time, it’s believed the two juveniles were riding in the rear of the van with no seats or seatbelts, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Police also said speed may have played a role in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing.