A box truck struck the historic Robert Parker Coffin Bridge in Long Grove and became wedged underneath Wednesday afternoon, the second truck in three days to hit the bridge.
The latest incident happened just after 2 p.m. Wednesday and was caught on surveillance video.
The video, captured by Neumann’s Cigars and More, showed a white box truck traveling westbound on Robert Parker Coffin Road approaching Schaeffer Road.
The truck slowed as it approached the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge but attempted to drive onto the bridge, at which point it became wedged under the bridge canopy.
A bystander told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that a tow truck was called to free the stuck truck, which resulted in the traffic being redirected.
The incident was the second time in three days that the bridge was struck.
Jimmy Bolf told Lake and McHenry County Scanner he was at Neumann’s Cigars and More of Long Grove around 3:55 p.m. Sunday when he witnessed a 1-800-GOT-JUNK? truck driving toward the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge.
The truck was traveling westbound on Robert Parker Coffin Road approaching Schaeffer Road.
Bolf said cars honked and people yelled at the driver to stop just before the contents sitting in the back of the truck struck the underside of the bridge canopy.
The truck did not get stuck but backed up and left the scene, Bolf said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was never notified of the incident.
Last month, at least two other vehicles, both oversized trucks, struck the bridge.
Both incidents were relatively minor but a tow truck was needed to remove one of the trucks, which became wedged under the bridge.
The bridge, formerly known as the Long Grove Covered Bridge, was renamed in September 2022 to the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge after Robert Parker Coffin, who designed the bridge cover.
The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been struck well over 50 times by oversized vehicles since 2018.
In June 2023, a bus became the 50th vehicle to hit the historic bridge after the vehicle scrapped the bridge’s canopy, causing the bus’ roof air conditioning unit to rip off.
The bus did not remain at the scene despite the vehicle’s roof air conditioning unit being ripped off and falling onto the roadway.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy stopped the bus a quarter-mile away in front of The Chatter Box of Long Grove.
“There are numerous signs informing drivers of the height restriction and signs prohibiting trucks and busses from using the bridge,” Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli has said previously.
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