Dawn Smith Killed in Spring Grove Police Vehicle Accident

Personal Injury - September 19, 2026

Dawn Smith, 65, Died After Spring Grove Police Department Vehicle Ran Red Light by Route 12 and Winn Road

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ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS (September 19, 2026)  – A 65-year-old woman identified as Dawn Smith has tragically died in a Spring Grove car accident with a police vehicle by Route 12 and Winn Road.

McHenry County officials are saying that the crash occurred around 2:00 PM on September 13. A Spring Grove Police Department vehicle was heading west on Route 12 with its emergency lights activated when it attempted to go through an intersection against a red light.

That 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle collided with a Kia Soul before entering eastbound lanes of traffic and hitting a Jeep Compass and a Honda CRV. Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision to help the victims.

Dawn Smith was identified as the driver of the Kia Soul and seriously injured in the crash. She and a male passenger were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Despite life-saving measures at the hospital, Dawn Smith was later pronounced deceased. A full investigation into the crash remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Rockford Police Car Accidents

Illinois law gives authorized emergency vehicles many privileges under Section 11-205 of the Illinois Vehicle Code when they are responding to an emergency. However, those privileges are not unlimited and still require drivers to exercise due care at all times. Among other things, these drivers must use their lights and sirens when they’re in the midst of an actual emergency. A police department or other municipal entity could potentially be liable for an accident involving one of their workers if that worker operated with a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of the public. Courts will take into consideration numerous factors when assessing liability for an accident involving a police vehicle.

  • Dispatch Records: They will consider any dispatch records that can establish the nature and urgency of a call that an officer was responding to.
  • Event Data Recorder: The event data recorder of the police vehicle involved can also provide important information related to how fast the vehicle was traveling and other vehicle movements before the point of impact.
  • Dash Cameras: Most police vehicles have dash cameras. The footage obtained from these cameras can be critical in determining whether or not an officer acted negligently.
  • Department Policies: Another important consideration is the department policies and training materials related to emergency response procedures. It is worth considering whether or not a police officer violated their own department’s policies.

When a police officer engages in willful and wanton conduct, this can be enough to pierce the immunity that most departments will have for accidents involving emergency vehicles. Consider, for example, Hudson v. City of Chicago, 378 Ill. App. 3d 373 (1st Dist. 2007). That case involved a Chicago police officer who was engaging in a high-speed pursuit across multiple lanes of traffic. That officer struck the plaintiff’s vehicle, which left him paraplegic. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the officer’s conduct was willful and wanton. They also presented evidence that the officer’s decision to engage in the pursuit violated department policies.

Accident Prevention and Accountability for Police Vehicle Crashes

Many people are seriously injured or killed every year in preventable accidents involving police vehicles. A large number of these collisions involve police vehicles that are engaged in highly risky pursuits. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2024, 225 people died in crashes involving emergency vehicles. More than half of these deaths were occupants of non-emergency vehicles (56%). Deaths among pedestrians accounted for 24% of the total, while emergency vehicle drivers represented 9%, and emergency vehicle passengers accounted for about 8% of the deaths.” Police departments should take a number of measures to prevent accidents involving their vehicles.

  • Police departments should conduct regular emergency vehicle and defensive driving training.
  • Police departments must create and enforce policies related to pursuits and emergency responses.
  • Police departments should require officers to slow substantially or stop before attempting to proceed through a red light or stop sign, even in the midst of an emergency response.
  • Police departments should ensure that their officers are always using their lights and sirens when engaging in an emergency response.
  • Police departments must routinely inspect and maintain all of their vehicles in a relatively safe condition.

It can be difficult to know where to begin after any accidents involving a police vehicle. These types of collisions routinely leave victims with catastrophic injuries. Sadly, many victims do not survive their injuries. To make matters worse, police departments are not likely to accept responsibility if one of their officers acted negligently and caused a major collision. This is why it is so important that the evidence for these accidents is properly preserved, so that it can be investigated independently at a later date. The family of any person who died due to the actions of a police officer may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.

Investigating Illinois Police Vehicle Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Dawn Smith. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. This was a highly preventable tragedy that should’ve never taken place. Many important safety questions have yet to be answered. What was the speed of the officer at the time of the crash? Did they even attempt to stop before going through the intersection? Did they violate established department policies related to emergency responses?

Do you need more information about an accident involving a police vehicle in Illinois? Our team of accident investigators is here to help you. We are committed to helping people understand their rights and holding negligent drivers fully accountable for their misconduct. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into the unique facts of any case, we are here to serve your needs. You are always welcome to reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.