WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Ill. — Authorities have identified the woman killed in a tragic crash Monday morning on Interstate 88 as 27-year-old Araceli Zepeda of Rochelle.
According to the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office, the crash happened around 9:22 a.m. Monday on I-88 westbound. Investigators say Zepeda was a passenger in a vehicle traveling west when it collided with another car, lost control, and veered off the roadway, crashing into a line of trees.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and found Zepeda unresponsive at the scene. She was airlifted to a Rockford hospital, where doctors worked for hours to save her life. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead at 7:59 p.m. Monday evening.
Authorities have not yet released details about the driver or the cause of the collision, and the results of an autopsy are pending as the investigation continues.
The Illinois State Police and Winnebago County Coroner’s Office are working together to determine the sequence of events that led to the deadly crash.
Family, friends, and the Rochelle community are mourning the sudden loss of Araceli Zepeda, remembering her as a kind-hearted and compassionate young woman whose life ended far too soon.
As authorities continue to piece together what happened, loved ones are left holding onto memories of a life filled with warmth, laughter, and love — a life gone too soon, but never forgotten.
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