A 73-year-old Joliet man died Sunday night after the car he was driving rolled and crashed near U.S. Highway 52 and Cedar Road in Manhattan Township in Will County, authorities said.
James. C. Chestnut, 73, was pronounced dead at 9:17 p.m. at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, according to a statement from Will County Coroner Patrick K. O’Neil.
Chestnut had been traveling north on U.S. 52 in a 2017 Chevy Spark, according to Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Jeff Liskh.
“We are currently investigating but for some unknown reason (the car) left the roadway and then crossed over Cedar Road and we suspect overturned,” Liskh said.
The car came to a stop right-side up in a field to the east of Cedar Road, he said. U.S. 52 curves at the point where Cedar Road intersects. The site is about five miles south of the Village of Manhattan.
This follows an unrelated incident March 24 when two Manhattan men died at that intersection due to a rollover crash, police said.
“It’s a dangerous area,” Liskh said. “A lot of times high speeds in that area cause drivers to lose control so I would strongly caution if driving in that area to reduce speed.”
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the coroner. Final cause and manner of death will be determined after a police investigation, toxicology tests and autopsy are complete.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter.