8 weeks later, still no answers on fatal crash in Winnetka

The cause and details of an eight-week-old tragedy in Winnetka remain a mystery to the general public.

Local authorities, citing their active investigation, continue to decline to comment on the May 2 crash that resulted in the deaths of two pedestrians: Kenilworth resident Sediqeh “Asra” Samadi, 37, and her mother, Raziyeh Sigary, 58. Samadi’s infant child was also struck and hospitalized but has survived.

The collision occurred in the early evening on Friday, May 2, when a vehicle left the roadway on Church Street near Meadow Lane near the borders of Kenilworth and Winnetka and on unincorporated land in Cook County.

How the tragedy happened remains unclear, and as of press time (Thursday, June 26), no criminal charges or traffic citations had been administered. The county sheriff’s office is leading the investigation, which spokespeople have continued to say is ongoing.

On why the investigation is persisting, a sheriff’s spokesperson said on Thursday, “We are committed to a thorough and complete investigation.”

In its initial statement on May 2, the sheriff’s office said no foul play was suspected in the crash, which also hospitalized the driver and the car’s passenger with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators have asked anyone with information to call (708) 765-4896.

The Record’s public-records request to the sheriff’s office was, for the most part, denied, with the sheriff’s office citing its active investigation. The Record did receive a heavily redacted crash report that reveals only a few details.

According to the report, the incident occurred at 1 Indian Hill Country Club Road in New Trier Township, which is the address of Indian Hill Country Club. A flower memorial as well as debris at the scene indicate the tragedy occurred just south of a secondary exit to the country club along Church Road.

Responding units from the sheriff’s office took over at approximately 5:50 p.m. for Winnetka Police Department personnel who were securing the scene, the report says.

Samadi was transported to Evanston Hospital, where she died at 6:30 p.m. The medical examiner arrived on-scene at 7:47 p.m.

All other information on the report was redacted amid the ongoing investigation.

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