Local News
April Valencia and her boyfriend Matthew Cuadra killed in Greater Grand Crossing crash
CHICAGO — Two people were killed and three others were injured following a violent crash on Chicago’s South Side late Friday night, according to police and emergency officials.
The collision occurred around 9:30 p.m. near West 75th Street and South Vincennes Avenue in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.
According to preliminary information from the Chicago Police Department (CPD), a 37-year-old woman driving a gray Buick sedan was traveling westbound on 75th Street when she attempted to turn south onto Vincennes Avenue.
Investigators say she failed to yield while making the turn, colliding with a black Dodge that was traveling eastbound through the intersection.
The impact caused severe damage to both vehicles, and the force of the crash pushed the Dodge into a parked gray Mercedes-Benz sedan, which was unoccupied at the time.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with debris scattered across the roadway and at least two victims ejected from their vehicle. Emergency responders from the Chicago Fire Department arrived quickly and began rendering aid to multiple victims.
Two occupants of the Dodge, later identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as 20-year-old Matthew Cuadra and 18-year-old April M. Valencia, both of Lansing, were transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.
The driver of the Dodge, a 26-year-old man, and two additional passengers — a 15-year-old girl and a 25-year-old woman — were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Family members have confirmed that April Valencia and her boyfriend, Matthew Cuadra, were the two victims who lost their lives in the crash.
Valencia’s sister, Jacky, was also among those injured and remains in critical condition as she continues to receive treatment.
The driver of the Buick was issued a citation for failure to yield while turning left. Police have not announced any further charges at this time.
Video footage from the scene showed significant damage to both vehicles, with parts of the roadway closed for several hours as investigators worked under bright floodlights to document the crash.
The CPD Major Accidents Investigation Unit is leading the inquiry into the collision to determine contributing factors such as speed, impairment, or distracted driving.
This tragic crash has left two young lives cut short and a family devastated. Loved ones have begun organizing community support to help cover medical and funeral expenses as the investigation continues.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.