MONROE — A young man lost his life just before the New Year’s holiday, apparently while trying to cross a busy road on foot in Stephenson County.

The crash happened just before 2:50 p.m. Dec. 30 on Business 20 West, just west of Lilly Creek Road, authorities said in a statement.  That’s the location in rural Freeport where police found the victim -- a 22-yearold man whom police still had not named as of the newspaper’s Monday deadline. 

“During an ensuing investigation, it was determined that the decedent was a pedestrian who had been struck by a westbound vehicle,” police said. “The involved vehicle was found stopped alongside the roadway near Business 20 West near Harlem Center Road and the female driver, who is uninjured, is currently being detained while the investigation is being completed.”

Police said they would not release the victim’s name pending notification of relatives.

A number of area agencies responded to the crash, including Lena Police and Freeport Rural Fire Department.