Johan Kappelhof saying hello to some of the Fire faithful (photo credit Don Macgregor)
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—Chicago Fire defender Johan Kappelhof was involved in an auto accident on his way to practice on Thursday morning.
According to WMAQ-TV, the crash happened just before 9:30am at 59th and Harlem (1.5 miles north of Toyota Park), when a U-Haul truck hit two vehicles, causing one of them (Kappelhof’s) to roll over, according to authorities.
Kappelhof’s Volkswagen rolled over and the windshield was smashed. The airbags deployed, but it appeared the driver’s side door was not smashed in. The defender, who has been with the Fire since 2016, was treated at a nearby hospital and released with only minor injuries and later arrived at Toyota Park hours after the crash.
The driver of the truck drove from the scene onto Interstate 55, police said, but damage from the accident caused the vehicle to break down.
Two people inside attempted to flee on foot, but both were taken into custody, officials said. One of the suspects tried to jump into the Illinois and Michigan Canal, according to police.
“It was actually very, very dramatic this morning for us,” Fire coach Veljko Paunovic told WGN-TV. “But the good thing is that he’s healthy, he’s in hospital. I could speak with him.”
No word yet on whether Kappelhof will be available for selection for Saturday’s match at Vancouver.
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