Tragedy struck a Texas family while visiting family in Illinois during spring break. Jason Alvarado, 6, reportedly died following an ATV crash on March 15, 2025, in Joliet. Jason was driving a REX110 ATV along with an 8-year-old passenger. The child lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. Crews rushed him to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries. His 8-year-old passenger survived.
Jason’s grandmother, Lucero Quezada, told WGN that the accident and subsequent loss of her grandson has broken her heart. “I’m very sad. I can’t believe he is not here with us anymore,” she said.
Quezada said Jason was in Joliet to visit his father during spring break. He loved to play soccer and Roblox and spend time with his friends.
“He was happy to be here,” the grieving grandmother shared. “We didn’t know this would happen.”
Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans told the news outlet that neither child was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. “This ATV in question was 24 inches from the ground to the seat and about 143 pounds altogether. It was constructed to be a kid’s ATV,” he said.
Evans said training children to operate an ATV safely is extremely important. He added that no one should ever ride without a helmet.
“I can’t explain my feelings,” Quezada said. “My love. My grandson. Mi guerito.”
Many people shared their thoughts on the police department’s Facebook page.
Some pointed fingers, such as this person who wrote, “Charge that dad, that little boy had to be driving that quad with just one hand on the handlebars and one hand on the thumb throttle because there is no way he could fully grip that right handlebar and use thumb throttle at the same time with his little hands.”
Others were empathetic, like this commenter who wrote, “So super sad! My heart goes out to the family, especially the 8-year-old. Ugh!”
Evans shared condolences in a statement on Facebook. “There are no words that can fully capture the sorrow of losing a child. Our hearts are broken for the family, whose unimaginable grief is shared by our officers and the entire Joliet community. In times like this, we must come together to offer our prayers, strength, and unwavering support to those who are suffering,” the post read.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to our first responders who arrived at the scene, demonstrating unwavering professionalism and compassion while facing such a heartbreaking tragedy,” it continued. “May this child’s memory be a blessing and may we all take a moment to remember those most deeply affected by this tragedy.”
