Death Investigation at Harlem Ave. and Lake St.

Published on April 03, 2026

Today, April 3, at approximately 8:56 a.m., Thomas E. Cremeens was driving a Toyota 4Runner southbound on Harlem Avenue approaching Lake Street. River Forest Police Department cameras in the area showed what appears to be Cremeens driving at a high rate of speed.

A pedestrian began walking eastbound across Harlem from the southwest corner of Harlem Ave. and Lake St. (from River Forest to Oak Park). Investigators believe that this action possibly caused Cremeens to swerve and collide with another vehicle and a Pace bus in the northbound lanes of Harlem Ave. The collision caused a total of four cars and the bus to be struck.

Multiple witnesses began calling 911 and a good Samaritan went to check on Cremeens. When that person stepped away from the vehicle, they heard a gunshot. Additional calls were made to 911 regarding the shot fired.

The first Oak Park Police Officer on scene observed Cremeens slumped over with a very apparent wound to his head. There was a gun located on the floorboard of the vehicle.

A doctor from Loyola University Medical Center pronounced Cremeens dead at 9:13 a.m. and the Medical Examiner arrived on scene at 10:36 a.m. to transport Cremeens’ body to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Cremeens (male White) was 48 years old and a resident of Plainfield, Ill.

Fourteen other passengers in various vehicles sustained injuries. Eleven were transported to the following local hospitals: Rush Oak Park, Loyola, MacNeal and Gottlieb. Three were treated at the scene. No serious injuries have been reported by any of the 14 passengers.

River Forest and Forest Park Police Departments assisted with closing the scene and traffic control. The streets were reopened at approximately 2 p.m.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. More information is also available at www.oak-park.us/988.

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