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DUI driver causes train crash in Morton Grove, police say

By Maggie Duly
Published  October 26, 2024 2:30pm CDT
Morton Grove
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • A 56-year-old Mount Prospect man was arrested for DUI after his car was struck by a train in Morton Grove.
    • The driver, Pawel Malecki, crashed into a parked car and drove onto railroad tracks. Witnesses pulled him out of his car before it was hit by the train.
    • No injuries were reported, and the incident is under investigation by the Morton Grove and Metra Police Departments.

MORTON GROVE, Ill. - A 56-year-old Mount Prospect man was arrested for drunk driving after his car was hit by a train Thursday night in Morton Grove.

The Morton Grove Police Department responded to a reckless driving complaint on River Drive and Lehigh Avenue around 7:05 p.m. Before officers arrived, the driver's 2004 black Acura TL crashed into a parked car on Lehigh Avenue and then continued onto nearby railroad tracks, where it stopped.

Witnesses removed the driver from the vehicle before it was struck by a southbound Amtrak train. Neither the driver nor the train's occupants were injured.

The driver, later identified as Pawel Malecki, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of a crash, failure to reduce speed and improper lane usage. 

The Metra Police Department is investigating the train crash. Lehigh Avenue remains closed between Lincoln Avenue and River Drive, and Metra tracks are expected to be closed overnight.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Morton Grove Police Department at 847-470-5200.

The Source

  • The information in this article was provided by the Morton Grove Police Department.