April Valencia Killed in Greater Grand Crossing Crash, Chicago, IL – October 18, 2025
On October 17, 2025, April M. Valencia, an 18-year-old resident of Lansing, Illinois, was fatally injured in a traffic collision in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago. The incident occurred near the intersection of West 75th Street and South Vincennes Avenue around 9:30 p.m. A grey Buick sedan, traveling westbound, attempted a southbound turn and failed to yield, colliding with a black Dodge vehicle in which Valencia was a passenger. Both vehicles subsequently struck a parked grey Mercedes sedan. Valencia and 20-year-old Matthew Cuadra, also a Lansing resident, were pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
The collision resulted in additional injuries, including a 15-year-old girl and two adults, all hospitalized with non-life-threatening trauma. The driver of the Buick received a citation for failure to yield, and the Chicago Police Department’s Major Accidents Unit is conducting a formal investigation. The incident highlights the continuing dangers of traffic intersections and the consequences of driver negligence in urban areas.
