Frmo the Harvard Fire Protection District:
Motorcyclist Airlifted Following Crash on Route 173
On Monday, June 1, 2026, at 3:14 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District was dispatched to the area of Route 173 and Beck Road in unincorporated Harvard following multiple 911 calls reporting a crash involving a motorcycle, with the rider down in the roadway.
While emergency crews were responding, additional information received by dispatch prompted the request for a medical helicopter and MD-1 to respond to the scene.
Firefighter/paramedics arrived and located a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Route 173.
Crews found an adult male motorcyclist injured in the roadway and immediately began patient care.
Paramedics assessed and treated the injured rider while confirming that no injuries were reported by the occupant(s) of the pickup truck.
Due to the nature of the injuries, a medical helicopter landed in a field just west of the crash scene.
The adult male motorcyclist was subsequently airlifted to Javon Bea Hospital Riverside in Rockford with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Any additional questions regarding the investigation, including cause, fault, speed, or other contributing factors, should be directed to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
This incident occurred during an exceptionally busy period for the Harvard Fire Protection District.
In the approximately 20 minutes preceding the crash, firefighters also responded to a reported structure fire in the 900 block of Obrien Street, which was determined to be a minor incident, as well as a separate medical emergency.
The Harvard Fire Protection District would like to thank the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District, Northwest Rescue, and our dispatchers for their assistance and support during this unusually busy period.
Photos are courtesy of the Harvard Fire Protection District.
