Two victims of a Glenview car crash that killed three early Sunday morning have been identified as lifelong friends from Aurora who were both 22 years old. A third victim has yet to be identified.
Wesley “Wes” Beitler and Bryce Reinhard, both recent college graduates, were identified by Jeremy Reinhard, Bryce Reinhard’s father, as victims of the crash near West Lake Avenue and Pfingsten Road in Glenview. Obituaries for both have also been posted.
Jeremy Reinhard said his son and Wes Beitler had been close friends since elementary school.
Glenview police said police and firefighters responded to a single vehicle crash Jan. 19 at 4:30 a.m. and found a vehicle in flames with three people inside. After putting out the fire, officials located the victims and pronounced all three dead on the scene.
Jeremy Reinhard said Beitler and his son lived in Aurora, and were driving to the north suburbs from Chicago on Saturday night to drop off a woman, the third victim.
“We think they were likely driving her home, or at least dropping her off at a friend’s or relative’s house,” Jeremy Reinhard said. He said that the incident is still under investigation and that the cause of the crash is still unknown to him, as is the cause of death for the vehicle’s passengers.
“They skidded off the road, lost control and hit a tree,” Jeremy Reinhard said. “At some point, whether it was upon impact or shortly thereafter, the car ignited as well and went into flames.”
Jeremy Reinhard said his son graduated from the University of Iowa last month, majoring in computer science and minoring in mathematics. Bryce Reinhard was starting his career as a computer programmer and also ran a 3D printing business, according to his obituary.
“He really was that kind of guy who could troubleshoot and figure things out,” Jeremy Reinhard said of his son. “He was a huge family guy,” he added, saying that he loved spending time with his twin brother Alex and his sister Kaitlyn.
Bryce Reinhard had joined his family on a Caribbean cruise, and had gone with Beitler on a trip to Miami, Jeremy Reinhard said.
“He was a quiet kid, but there was a lot below the surface. (He had) a real dry sense of humor, and always (had) something funny to say,” Jeremy Reinhard said.
Bryce Reinhard played soccer in high school, and liked mountain biking, dirt biking, ATVs and jet skis and enjoyed doing outdoor activities, according to his father.
But Beitler was the athlete, Jeremy Reinhard said, and went to college as a cross country runner after breaking records in middle school and Waubonsie Valley High School. In 2019, the Aurora Beacon News wrote about his blossoming cross country career.
In this file photo from May 10, 2019, Waubonsie Valley’s Wes Beitler, right, ran in the 3200-meter race during the DuPage Valley Conference Meet at Naperville North. Beitler died Jan. 19, 2025, in a car crash in Glenview. (Aurora Beacon-News)
Per Beitler’s obituary, he qualified for state competitions in cross country and lived by the motto, “training beats talent when talent doesn’t train.” Cross country took Beitler to Indiana State, and later Beitler earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Tennessee.
“From a young age, Wes was full of energy and never wanted to sit still. He was always a very active child and involved in sports and play activities. Wes loved to play roughhouse with his dad, build with LEGO blocks, swim in the pool, play with his action figures, and run around outdoors with neighborhood friends,” his obituary stated.
Beitler had begun a career as a financial planner at Thrivent Financial, according to his obituary.
Friends and family have highlighted their moments with Beitler on social media since Sunday.
“I have looked up to Wes since I was a child.” his brother Kyle Beitler posted on Instagram.
“…If you can learn two things from Wesley, learn that life in Christ will strengthen you.. .and lastly, love your family. Down to the last second. Always tell your family you love them, even if you’re angry at them, because tomorrow is never guaranteed.”
A friend of Beitler’s also posted on Facebook that Beitler was “the one who took me to church for the first time, and introduced me to God… That alone changed my life.”
He also said Beitler always believed in him and was always there for him.
Visitation for Bryce Reinhard is scheduled for Jan. 25 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Biedelman-Kunsch Funeral Home in Naperville; his funeral service is scheduled for Jan. 27 at Biedelman-Kunsch Funeral Home and his burial will be Naperville Cemetery.
Visitation for Beitler is scheduled for Jan. 28 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Jan. 29 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Harvest New Beginnings Church in Oswego. Beitler’s funeral service is scheduled for Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. at Harvest New Beginnings Church.
