College Sprinter Sariyah Watson Killed In Mother's Day Crash at 21
A beloved 21-year-old college athlete was tragically killed in a Mother's Day Weekend crash on Sunday, May 10.
Three people were killed in a crash in Illinois on Sunday. The crash took place on Interstate 88 in Aurora, Ill. according to authorities. It was a two-vehicle crash, involving a vehicle going the wrong way.
"ISP Troop 3 responded to the location above for the report of a two-unit fatal crash involving a wrong way driver," said the Illinois State Police. "Unit 1 was traveling eastbound in the westbound left lane when it struck Unit 2 (traveling westbound in the left lane) head on."
Tragically, Sariyah Watson, a University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) student athlete, was killed in the crash. She was traveling to see her mom on Mother's Day.
Watson, a track and field sprinter, was one of three people killed. She and a 21-year-old passenger in her vehicle were killed. The 32-year-old male driver of the other vehicle was also killed.
"The driver of Unit 1 and two occupants of Unit 2 were pronounced deceased on scene," said the ISP.
Watson was driving to see her mom when she collided with another vehicle that was allegedly going the wrong way, according to her father.
"How somebody does that is beyond me," Sariyah's father, Antonio Watson, told ABC7 Chicago. "No script can be written that will allow you to accept this type of tragic loss."
"She lived life basically the way she would finish a race, with extreme determination and grit. And it's just so tragic that, you know, the finish line came too soon for her."
UIC confirmed her death
The school confirmed the track star's death.
"It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Sariyah Watson, a junior member of our women's track & field program. Sariyah was a cherished member of our Flames Family, and our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, teammates, and coaches during this incredibly difficult time," they said in a statement.
An official investigation into the crash is underway.
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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 10:59 AM.