The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an Aug. 9 head-on collision in rural Stephenson County that claimed the lives of two people, including a longtime Freeport resident who was the mother of a former WNBA star.
The crash took place at 12:38 p.m. on Illinois Route 26 near Oneco Road in rural Orangeville.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s department, a preliminary investigation indicates that a Nissan Altima, driven by Rolando Ico-Choc, 30, was traveling south on Illinois 26 when it entered the northbound lane and collided head on with a Ford Edge, driven by Darcy Connolly-Brunner, 61.
The release states that Ico-Choc was a Guatemalan national who had been living in Freeport, and Connolly-Brunner was a resident of Freeport. Both drivers were pronounced deceased at the scene, the release states, and there were no other occupants in either vehicle.
Connolly-Brunner’s daughter is Sophie Brunner, a basketball star who led Freeport Aquin High School to back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013, and then was a three-time all-Pac-12 forward at Arizona State. She played briefly in the WNBA, and also had a short professional career in Italy.
Sheriff’s deputies are investigating whether alcohol impairment by Ico-Choc was a factor in the crash. There is no indication that Connolly-Brunner was impaired, the release states. Toxicology tests are being conducted.
The crash is under investigation by the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit.
Several agencies responded to the crash including the Orangeville Fire Department, Winslow FireDepartment, Cedarville Fire Protection District, Leamon’s Ambulance Service and the Stephenson County Coroner’sOffice.
(This story was updated to add more information.)
Corina Curry is the editor of the Rockford Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Head-on collision in Stephenson County kills two, including former WNBA star’s mother
Reporting by Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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