CHICAGO (CBS) — Billionaire James Crown, a leader of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, died Sunday in a car crash at a Colorado race track.
Crown, 70, was killed in a single-vehicle crash at Aspen Motorsports Park in Woody Creek, Colorado, according to the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The coroner’s office said Crown suffered multiple blunt force trauma, but an official cause of death has not yet been determined, pending an autopsy.
In a statement, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was “devastated” to learn of Crown’s death.
“A lifelong Chicagoan, Jim gave back to the city through philanthropy and leadership on a number of civic and academic boards as he was deeply committed to investing in Chicago and its people. With his generosity, Jim truly embodied the soul of Chicago.
I was especially grateful for his commitment to work collaboratively with my administration to build a safer Chicago, having met recently to share ideas. I send my deepest condolences to his wife, four children, grandchildren, and the entire Crown family and pray for their peace,” Johnson said.
Crown recently spearheaded an initiative by the Civic Committee to raise tens of millions of dollars over the next several years to work with organizations and local leaders to help fight crime in Chicago.
The new initiative is meant to bring all the players around the same table to fight crime. The idea is that collaboration is key to making Chicago the best it can be.
Earlier this month, Crown said the hope is to improve safety throughout the city — including for his employees, and for tourists who support Chicago businesses …
