Several injured after multivehicle crash in Chicago's north suburbs, officials say

BEACH PARK, Ill. - A crash involving four vehicles Tuesday morning in a northern Chicago suburb left three drivers hospitalized and is under investigation.

What we know:

The crash happened around 8 a.m. near Sheridan Road and Michigan Boulevard in Beach Park.

A 74-year-old Zion man driving a GMC Acadia struck the stop arm of a school bus that was loading children near Mawman Avenue. The bus was stopped in the northbound lanes, and no one onboard — including two children and the driver — was injured. Children boarding the bus at the time were also unharmed.

After hitting the stop arm, the GMC continued northbound and sideswiped a Ford Focus driven by a 49-year-old Beach Park man. The collision forced the Focus into a utility pole.

The GMC then crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a Chevrolet Colorado, driven by a 39-year-old Winthrop Harbor man, and a Ford Flex, driven by a 28-year-old woman from Fox Lake.

The GMC driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The drivers of the Focus and Colorado were hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The Ford Flex driver was not hurt.

What we don't know:

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it’s possible the driver experienced a medical episode prior to the crashes, but the exact cause is still under investigation.