An Algonquin woman was injured at 6:39 a.m. on Main Street Jan. 27 after a collision with a tractor-trailer sent her vehicle into a utility pole. 

Jessica L. Topala, 22, was transported by ambulance to Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry with non-life threatening injuries. Hospital officials did not immediately return calls as to the condition of Topala. 

According to Crystal Lake Police, both vehicles were northbound on Main Street near Congress Parkway when a 1993 Mack truck driven by Efrain B. Garcia, 54, of the 100 block of Donovan Ave., Woodstock, collided with Topala’s 2003 Ford Mustang as he switched lanes from the inner lane to the curb lane. 

Topala lost control of her vehicle after the impact, leaving the roadway on the east shoulder and striking the utility pole.  Crystal Lake Fire Rescue removed Topala, who was conscious but incapacitated, from her vehicle for transport. 

Garcia was not injured and was charged and cited with improper lane usage. There were no passengers in either vehicle. 

“The semi truck was driven from the scene without serious damage,” said Police Commander Dan Dziewior. “The Mustang suffered extreme damage, based on what I saw on the flatbed.” 

The weather was not an issue, he said. 

“That was before it got all slippery and nasty out,” he said. “The roadway had a wet surface to it but it was not slick like it was later on in the day.” 

Traffic in both northbound and southbound lanes of Main Street were reduced to two lanes and occasionally stopped completely while crews cleared the roadway and assessed the damage to the utilities.