STORY YOUMISSED
A tragic rollover crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway left two people dead and three others injured early Thursday morning.
Illinois State Police responded to the scene at the I-94 northbound ramp at 111th Street around 1:15 a.m.
Officers arrived to find a single vehicle that had flipped over near the Roseland neighborhood.
Five people were inside the car when the accident occurred.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Emergency responders rushed three other passengers to nearby hospitals.
One person remains in critical condition, while the other two are listed in stable condition.
Family members later identified the deceased as a 17-year-old boy and a man in his 20s.
The victims were members of the Empiire Dance Company.
The teenager was identified as Boaz Flemister, a junior at Art in Motion school in the South Shore neighborhood.
His mother, Angelo Hongo, described him as the life of every party.
She told reporters that her son loved to have fun and that his sudden death is unimaginable.
The second victim was Lazuras Gonzales, the director of the dance group.
Northbound lanes of the Bishop Ford were closed for several hours at 111th Street while police investigated.
The highway has since reopened to traffic.
Local Context and Recent History
The stretch of the Bishop Ford Freeway near 111th Street has seen a rise in serious accidents over the last year.
High speeds and sharp exit ramps often contribute to rollover incidents on the South Side.
In late 2025, several multi-car collisions were reported within miles of this specific exit.
The 111th Street ramp is known to local drivers for being a difficult transition during late-night hours.
Community leaders have previously called for better lighting and safety barriers along this section of I-94.
This loss adds to a growing number of traffic fatalities involving young people in the Roseland and South Shore areas.
Police have not yet determined what caused the vehicle to lose control and flip.
Investigators are looking into whether speed or road conditions played a role in the crash.
The Chicago dance community is already sharing tributes online for Gonzales and Flemister.
Friends describe the group as a tight-knit family dedicated to the arts.
State police are asking anyone with information about the crash to come forward.
