A 16-year-old driver apparently was trying to pass another car on a dark, wet two-lane road when she collided head-on with an oncoming car, killing herself and two other people, authorities said Monday.
The initial investigation indicates that Kristen Pichler of Gurnee was northbound on Hutchins Road near Stearns School Road in Warren Township about 9:15 p.m. Saturday when she crossed the center line into the southbound lanes, authorities said.
Her car, a 1989 Dodge Spirit, collided head-on into a 1989 Ford Mustang driven by James Oechsle, 33, of Lindenhurst.
Oechsle was seriously injured in the crash, and a passenger in his car, Brian Steffenhagen, 32, of unincorporated Grayslake, was killed.
Pichler’s car burst into flames upon impact, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Thomas Braze, killing her and her passenger, Shannon Schwarz, 17, also of Gurnee.
Although it was raining at the time of the crash, authorities believe there was another contributing factor to the accident.
“Our initial thoughts are that driver inexperience probably played as much a part as weather or road conditions,” Braze said.
There was no indication that alcohol was involved, but the Lake County coroner’s office planned to perform tests on the bodies, Braze said. The investigation into the crash will continue.
Oechsle was listed in critical condition Monday in the intensive care unit at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The accident cast a pall over Warren Township High School, where the girls were to have started their senior year next week.
It also hit hard at the Gurnee Police Department. Schwarz was the daughter of Deputy Police Chief Henry Schwarz.
“The department is feeling a great deal of hurt,” Chief Robert Jones said.
Deputy Chief Schwarz has been with the department for 21 years.
“Hank’s been here a long time. His daughter would stop by here, and everybody knew her,” Jones said. “The department is feeling their pain.”
Warren Township High School juniors and seniors will report to the new facility on Almond Road on Monday and the accident will be addressed at opening assemblies, said Principal Philip Roffman.
Counselors will be on hand at the school all this week as well.
“Any time you have a tragedy like that it affects people in ways you don’t even know yet,” Roffman said.
Schwarz was in the school’s theater program and had participated in several productions, while Pichler was involved with athletics.
The girls were described as close friends since childhood.
“Both girls were very involved,” Roffman said. “These were two kids who were well-known and well-liked.”
No one from Steffenhagen’s family could be reached for comment.
The Dodge was traveling northbound on Hutchins just north of Stearns School Road when it collided with the Mustang in the southbound lane.
“It was just about dead-center head-on,” Braze said. “It looks like the girls were at fault. The men were southbound in the southbound lanes.”
Hutchins Road is currently being resurfaced and temporary yellow stickers have replaced the double yellow line.
The area of the accident is a no-passing zone.
“The weather conditions at the time probably had an effect on visibility,” Braze said. “It’s hard to understand why anyone would take that risk (to pass).”
It was unknown whether any of the victims were wearing seat belts.
