6-year-old driving ATV killed while visiting family on spring break, Illinois cops say
A 6-year-old boy driving down the sidewalk on an ATV with an 8-year-old in the passenger seat crashed into a tree, Illinois police said.
The younger boy was thrown from the vehicle March 15 and later died from his injuries, Joliet police said in a March 17 Facebook post. The 8-year-old passenger was not injured.
Family members identified the 6-year-old driver as Jason Alvarado, according to WLS. Jason, who is from Texas, was visiting family in Joliet during his spring break, his cousin told the outlet.
“I can’t explain my feelings,” Lucero Quezada, the boy’s grandmother, told WGN. “My love. My grandson. Mi guerito.”
Quezada said Jason enjoyed playing soccer and Roblox, according to WGN.
The ATV involved in the crash was designed for children and reaches speeds of 20 miles per hour, police told WMAQ.
The police department is continuing to investigate the crash. No criminal charges have been filed.
“There are no words that can fully capture the sorrow of losing a child. Our hearts are broken for the family, whose unimaginable grief is shared by our officers and the entire Joliet community,” police chief Bill Evans said in a news release.
Joliet is about a 45-mile drive southwest from downtown Chicago.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 9:59 AM with the headline "6-year-old driving ATV killed while visiting family on spring break, Illinois cops say."
