Plank Road and Lawrence Road (CREDIT: Google Maps)

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office reports that a 20-year-old Chicago man has died following a Saturday-morning crash on Plank Road in Burlington Township.

Sheriff’s detectives were informed Wednesday that Chester Buford, a passenger in the Ford Focus that struck a roadside utility pole Saturday morning, had died at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the crash that took place at around 9:30 a.m. Saturday (Oct. 22, 2016) on Plank Road near the intersection of Lawrence Road.

According to a Sheriff’s Office news release, the initial investigation indicates that a 2009 Ford Focus driven by Ryan Kennedy, 21, of the 7000 block of South Artesian Avenue in Chicago was traveling west on Plank Road when Kennedy attempted to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone. As the Focus was making the pass, Kennedy had to swerve to avoid colliding with a vehicle that was traveling east on Plank Road.

The Focus left the roadway on the south side, struck a utility pole and rolled onto its side, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Kennedy was transported to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin with non-life-threatening injuries. Buford, of the 2700 block of South Indiana Avenue in Chicago, was flown to Rockford Memorial Hospital with potential life-threatening injuries.

There were no other occupants in the Ford Focus, and no other vehicles were involved in the collision. The Sheriff’s Office said both occupants appear to have been wearing seat belts.

Deputies have not determined if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash and are investigating if speed was a factor.  No tickets have been issued.

SOURCE: Kane County Sheriff’s Office news release

(CREDIT: Google Maps screenshot)