Natalia Andrea Acevedo Mendez Obituary, Death – Authorities in Chicago are investigating a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two women Sunday night near Guaranteed Rate Field on the city’s South Side.
According to the Chicago Police Department, the crash occurred around 9:15 p.m. in the 300 block of West 35th Street. Preliminary reports indicate that a red sedan, driven by a 24-year-old woman with a 21-year-old female passenger, was traveling east when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The car reportedly crossed over the center median into the westbound lanes, where it was struck by a black SUV carrying two adult men.
Emergency responders from the Chicago Fire Department arrived quickly and provided immediate care to the two women in the red sedan. Despite their efforts, both sustained severe injuries. The women were transported to Stroger Hospital, where they were later pronounced deceased.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the passenger as 21-year-old Natalia Andrea Acevedo Mendez. The identity of the driver has not yet been released as authorities continue working to notify her family members.
The two men traveling in the black SUV were also injured in the crash. They were taken to the University of Chicago Hospital for treatment of injuries that were described as non-life-threatening. Both men are expected to recover, according to police.
Investigators are still trying to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. While the cause of the driver’s loss of control remains unclear, police are looking into several possible factors, including speed, road conditions, and whether any distractions may have played a role.
Traffic in the area was temporarily blocked late Sunday night as emergency crews cleared the wreckage and investigators gathered evidence. The crash caused significant delays along 35th Street near the ballpark as police worked for several hours to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Witnesses at the scene told officers they saw the red sedan veer out of its lane moments before the impact. One bystander described hearing a loud crash followed by the sound of sirens as emergency vehicles arrived. Residents in nearby buildings came out to assist before first responders took control of the situation.
Area detectives are now leading the investigation, and authorities have not announced whether any citations or charges will be filed. Police have also not released additional details about the SUV driver, though they confirmed he cooperated fully at the scene and remained with officers during the investigation.
This tragic event adds to a series of serious accidents that have occurred in Chicago’s South Side neighborhoods in recent weeks, prompting renewed calls from local residents for improved road safety measures. Community members have urged drivers to exercise greater caution, particularly at night, when visibility and reaction times can be reduced.
Friends and family of the victims have expressed their shock and grief as word of the crash spread through the area. Social media posts from acquaintances described both young women as vibrant and full of life, with one message calling them “beautiful souls taken too soon.”
As of Monday morning, police had not yet confirmed what may have caused the driver to lose control, but investigators are continuing to analyze roadway evidence and vehicle data. The Chicago Police Department is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information to contact Area Detectives to assist with the investigation.
Authorities extended condolences to the families affected by the tragic loss and urged the public to remain patient as the investigation continues. For now, the community near Rate Field is mourning two young lives lost in a devastating Sunday night accident that remains under careful review by law enforcement officials.
