Giovanni Lopez, a 21-year-old man from Woodridge, Illinois, died Saturday afternoon after his paraglider crashed into a farm field in Plainfield. Witnesses at the scene tried to help him before emergency crews arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The fatal incident happened on November 14, 2026, near the intersection of Ridge Road and 127th Street in Plainfield. According to police, officers received a call about the crash at approximately 2:57 p.m.
Lopez was the pilot of the paraglider involved in the crash. The circumstances surrounding what happened in the air remain under investigation. Police have described the incident as an apparent in-flight emergency that ended with the paraglider going down in a nearby farm field.
People who witnessed the crash rushed to help Lopez. They stayed with him and provided assistance while waiting for emergency responders to arrive. Oswego paramedics later reached the scene and attempted lifesaving measures.
Despite those efforts, Lopez did not survive. Deputies from the Kendall County Coroner’s Office pronounced him dead at the scene.
The coroner’s office received notification of the possible fatality at approximately 3:40 p.m. on Saturday. Lopez was identified as a 21-year-old resident of Woodridge, Illinois.
A forensic autopsy is expected to help determine the cause and manner of his death. As of Sunday, November 15, officials had not released a final determination.
The Plainfield Police Department and the Kendall County Coroner’s Office are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Oswego Fire Protection District and Kendall County Sheriff’s Office also assisted at the scene.
For now, officials have not released further details about what caused the paraglider to go down. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish exactly what happened before the fatal crash.