A resident was electrocuted to death in a freak accident after authorities say he was trimming trees in his yard near Wauconda when he got shocked Saturday, leaving him hanging in the trees.

The Wauconda Fire District and Lake County Sheriff’s office responded around 3:55 p.m. Saturday to the area of Bonner Road and Jackson Avenue in unincorporated Wauconda for a report of downed wires and an unresponsive subject.

Firefighters arrived and found a man who had been electrocuted and was dead on arrival in the yard of a home in the 28500 block of North Jackson Avenue.

The man was 67 years old and lived at the home, Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said.

A preliminary investigation shows the man was on a ladder and trimming trees near overhead power lines, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said.

A branch is believed to have made contact with a live wire, electrocuting him.

“When first responders arrived, the power lines were still actively arcing in the trees and electrical service to the area had to be shut off before crews could safely access the victim, who was located approximately 15 feet above the ground,” Covelli said.

ComEd crews quickly responded and de-energized the wires, allowing emergency crews to remove the man and turn him over to the Lake County Coroner’s Office, Wauconda Fire District Lt. Luke Stasieczek said.

No one else was injured.

Around 600 residents in the area lost power, Stasieczek said.

Firefighters remained on the scene for around two hours.

ComEd crews were seen carefully removing parts of trees where the electrocution occurred while the coroner’s office investigated.

Newton said an autopsy is scheduled to be performed on the man on Tuesday at the Lake County Coroner’s Office.

His identity remains withheld pending notification to next of kin and the autopsy.

The incident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s office and coroner’s office, but authorities believe it was an accident.

“At this time, there are no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. It appears to be an unfortunate accident,” Covelli said.

Two residents were able to safely escape a fire that left their home heavily damaged and uninhabitable in unincorporated Antioch Friday evening, fire officials said.

The Antioch Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and multiple automatic aid fire departments responded around 6:15 p.m. Friday to the 26900 block of Route 173 in unincorporated Antioch for a report of a house fire.

Firefighters arrived in minutes and found heavy flames and smoke coming out from two windows of the front of the two-story home, Antioch Battalion Fire Chief Joseph DuShane said at the scene.

The fire was spreading to the second floor of the house when crews pulled up.

DuShane said he and the other first-arriving firefighters saw heavy smoke from a distance that was coming from the home.

There were two residents at the time of the fire, and they were able to safely evacuate by the time firefighters arrived, DuShane said. There were no pets inside the home.

Crews deployed multiple hose lines to attack the fire.

“Crews made a good exterior knockdown and went interior to finish fighting the fire from the inside of the hallway and second room,” DuShane said.

The area does not have fire hydrants, so water tenders were set up to provide adequate water for fire suppression operations.

Firefighters initially faced traffic issues at the scene because cars continued driving eastbound and westbound on Route 173 while firefighters were working in the road.

Sheriff’s deputies eventually shut down Route 173 between North Pedersen Lane and North Lake Avenue.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 6:40 p.m.

Field employees with ComEd and Nicor Gas responded to tend to electricity and gas.

Crews conducted overhaul operations – which is the process of searching for hidden and smoldering fire – for another hour until the fire was fully extinguished at around 7:40 p.m.

No one was injured, DuShane said.

The fire caused heavy fire, smoke and heat damage to both floors of the home.

The house is uninhabitable, and the residents were displaced.

The Newport Township, Greater Round Lake, Fox Lake, Spring Grove, McHenry Township, Bristol and Salem Lakes fire departments assisted the Antioch Fire Department at the scene.

“I just want to thank everyone that showed up here from surrounding towns,” DuShane said.

“Everyone did a good job and we all worked together,” DuShane added.

Investigators are continuing to look into what caused the fire. A damage estimate was not immediately available.

A FedEx truck hit the historic Robert Parker Coffin Bridge in Long Grove Saturday afternoon, marking at least the 74th time the bridge has been struck in recent years.

The FedEx box truck had pulled out of a parking lot next to Neumann’s Cigars and More of Long Grove around 2:35 p.m. Saturday.

The truck began traveling westbound on Robert Parker Coffin Road toward Schaeffer Road, according to surveillance video.

The top of the FedEx truck reportedly struck the struts of the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge as it proceeded through the bridge.

Neumann’s Cigars and More of Long Grove said the truck was able to free itself after the driver reversed out from the bridge.

It is unclear if the truck left the scene but the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was there right after the incident occurred, the business said.

“A FedEx truck instead of a U-Haul is a nice change of pace,” they added.

It was at least the 74th time the bridge had been struck since 2018.

Last month, a U-Haul truck struck the bridge struts and became lodged underneath on April 20.

Staff with the Olive Tap of Long Grove told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the truck was stuck for about an hour.

A tow truck was called and the tow operator had to let air out of the tires before removing the truck by pulling it forward out from the bridge.

The Olive Tap said the driver of the U-Haul was taking it to a customer who they were moving stuff for and were so focused on getting to the destination that they were not paying attention to the warning signs.

The bridge canopy appeared to have damage and the U-Haul was also damaged. Police blocked off the roadway until the scene was cleared.

That crash was at least the second to have occurred in April after a work van struck the bridge’s canopy struts on April 2.

The vehicle was traveling westbound on Robert Parker Coffin Road when it occurred.

Ladders on top of the van apparently scraped the bridge canopy and the driver of the van stopped the vehicle under the bridge and got out after it occurred.

Neumann’s Cigars and More told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the vehicle was briefly stuck but the driver took the ladders off the top of the van and was able to leave the scene.

In February, a large box truck with the name of GreenGrids solar company was photographed by witnesses trapped under the bridge after the top of the vehicle struck the bridge’s canopy struts.

Workers were photographed letting the air out of the tires in an effort to move the vehicle out from underneath.

Two Lake County sheriff’s vehicles blocked the roadway while the Chevrolet truck rested under the bridge with damage to the top of the vehicle.

A bus carrying persons with disabilities struck the bridge on November 14, marking at least the 70th time the bridge had been hit.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Long Grove Fire Protection District were called to the scene after a 911 caller reported the bus carrying special needs students had struck the bridge.

No one was injured in the incident, authorities said at the time.

The 69th hit came after a white pickup truck pulling a large trailer struck the bridge and left the scene on October 9.

The bridge was also previously hit in June when a box truck’s roof struck the bridge canopy.

The damage to the roof of the vehicle was clearly noticeable during that incident, witnesses said.

The bridge was hit on May 20, 2025, when a box truck belonging to Northwest Trucks Inc. in Palatine attempted to drive onto the bridge, at which point it abruptly struck the bridge canopy.

The truck became wedged under the bridge canopy and the driver attempted to reverse out.

A deputy in a Lake County sheriff’s squad car that arrived on scene with its lights activated used his intercom to tell the driver, “Stop, it’s not moving.”

The driver initially attempted to lower the air pressure in the tires but it was unsuccessful and a tow truck was called to remove the truck.

The bridge was blocked for approximately three hours during the May 20, 2025, incident.

Before that, a white Toys for Tots box truck struck the bridge in December 2024 but did not get stuck and was able to reverse.

A small truck carrying an oversized, vertically stacked load struck the top girders of the bridge on October 30, 2024.

Surveillance video showed the truck’s oversized load hitting the top of the bridge before stopping and immediately reversing to free itself.

“There are numerous signs informing drivers of the height restriction and signs prohibiting trucks and buses from using the bridge,” Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli has said previously.

The bridge, formerly known as the Long Grove Covered Bridge, was renamed in September 2022 to the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge after Robert Parker Coffin, who designed the bridge cover.

The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Officials say a man intentionally struck his wife with a car multiple times, leaving her in critical condition and flown to the hospital, after an argument over the disclosure of her inheritance in Oakwood Hills.

Pablo Contreras, 50, of Oakwood Hills, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, failure to report a crash involving injury, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of a crash involving injury.

The Oakwood Hills Police Department and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 7:37 p.m. Friday to the 0-100 block of Valley Drive in Oakwood Hills for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.

A 911 caller reported a man intentionally ran over a woman with a vehicle and the victim suffered head trauma.

The Cary Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene to assist.

A LifeNet medical helicopter was initially placed on standby and then requested to respond, according to Cary Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.

The victim was transported by ambulance to the helipad at Mercyhealth Hospital and Physician Clinic – Crystal Lake.

Vucha said the patient was transferred to the flight crew and flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, which is a Level 1 trauma center.

She suffered critical, life-threatening injuries, Vucha added.

According to police radio traffic, Contreras fled the scene in the gray 2020 Volkswagen Jetta but later returned to the scene and was detained by officers.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Contreras caused great bodily harm to his wife, with whom he lives with at the Valley Drive home.

Contreras got into the Volkswagen and reversed out of the driveway, striking the victim with the rear of the car, the complaint said.

She was knocked to the ground and Contreras continued backing his vehicle up, running over the woman’s body with the Volkswagen’s tires, the complaint said.

Contreras drove over the woman’s body again when driving away from the scene, the complaint said.

The victim was left lying on the roadway in front of their home with blood on her face and head, along with bruising around her exposed torso.

Medical staff reported she suffered a crushed pelvis and a possible skull fracture and was placed on a breathing tube.

Court documents said that Contreras and his wife were having an argument regarding the disclosure of the woman’s inheritance.

A witness reported the couple was outside and the victim was behind Contreras’ Volkswagen when he placed the car in reverse and knocked her down into the street.

The witness told police that Contreras continued to drive and drove over the victim’s body despite hitting her with the car, court documents said.

Contreras placed the car into drive and drove over the woman again, the witness reported.

Court documents said two children were home at the time of the incident and Contreras first denied hitting his wife with the car before making a conflicting statement saying he did not mean to.

Contreras was transported to the McHenry County Jail and was transported to Initial Appearance Court hearing on Saturday.

The victim’s sister testified during the court hearing about her injuries, including her clavicle and her carotid artery, along with the fact that she is intubated and awaiting surgery.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Contreras pending trial.

McHenry County Judge Jeffrey Hirsch granted the request and said that the man poses a serious threat to his wife.

“There is a strong showing of dangerous, particularly because after hitting the victim once with the vehicle, defendant did not stop or render aid or call for an ambulance, instead he drove over her a second time driving away from the scene. When he drove away he left his injured spouse severely injured in the middle of the road,” Hirsch said.

“As such there are no less restrictive means to mitigate the risk posed by the defendant to his spouse, and the Court accepts the defendant’s stipulation,” the judge said in his ruling.

Contreras is scheduled to appear in court again on June 2 for a status of preliminary hearing.

A man was flown to the hospital after suffering a serious injury when he crashed a dirt bike on a residential property near Woodstock Saturday evening, fire officials said.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 5:20 p.m. Saturday to the 400 block of North Fleming Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a crash with injuries.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said a dirt bike crashed on private property.

Fire crews arrived and located an adult male suffering from a serious lower-extremity injury, Vucha said.

The severity of the injury required transport to a Level 1 trauma center.

Vucha said a medical helicopter was requested and met the ambulance at the helipad at Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital.

The victim was transferred to the flight crew and airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for further treatment.

Vucha said the victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Fire department radio traffic indicated the man suffered a broken femur.

No other injuries were reported during the incident. No further information was released.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause and circumstances surrounding the crash.

A woman has been arrested and charged with driving intoxicated while looking at her phone when she crashed at approximately 80 mph into a semi-truck, killing her friend, on I-94 near Gurnee Saturday morning.

Priscilla M. Martinez, 29, of Gurnee, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence causing death, driving under the influence of alcohol, improper traffic lane usage, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and aggravated using a communication device resulting in death.

The Gurnee Fire Department, Libertyville Fire Department and Illinois State Police responded around 5:07 a.m. Saturday to Interstate 94 between Route 120 and O’Plaine Road near Gurnee for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.

911 caller(s) reported a car was sideways in lanes 1 and 2 with a victim inside that had a possible broken neck, according to police radio traffic.

The car, a Mazda SUV, was heavily damaged and the second vehicle involved, a semi-tractor-trailer truck, was pulled off onto the right shoulder.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said Martinez was identified as the driver of the Mazda and called 911 to report she had hit a truck and her friend had a broken neck.

Gurnee Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Steffens said the crash involved the two vehicles and the Mazda sustained heavy damage.

The crash occurred in the westbound lanes of Interstate 94 at the 11.75-mile marker.

Paramedics found Martinez and a second adult female in the Mazda and one adult male in the semi-truck. None of the victims required extrication.

One of the women in the Mazda, who was the passenger, suffered life-threatening injuries and was unconscious, Steffens said.

She was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead, Steffens and Illinois State Police said.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office said she was a 35-year-old from Waukegan.

Martinez had no serious complaints regarding injuries but was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for evaluation.

The driver of the semi-truck was uninjured and signed a medical release at the scene declining transport to the hospital.

Illinois State Police said lanes 1, 2 and 3 remained shut down for the investigation for hours until being reopened around 10:45 a.m.

Troopers noted that the Mazda had extensive damage to the front end and the semi-truck had damage to the rear, Katris said.

Martinez told troopers she had three drinks at a bar in Chicago and they were traveling back to Lake County when she struck the rear of the semi-truck.

Martinez had referenced looking at her phone when the crash occurred and said she was traveling 70-80 mph when she hit the truck, Katris said.

Martinez had a breath alcohol concentration of 0.146 when providing a breath sample, Katris said.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital to take possession of the deceased victim for an autopsy. Her identity has not been released.

Martinez was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail and appeared in First Appearance Court on Sunday morning.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Martinez pending trial and Lake County Judge Patricia Cornell ordered her held until a detention hearing, which she scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

A child was seriously injured and flown to the hospital and two other children were also injured after a tree fell onto them at a house in Lakewood Saturday evening.

The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Lakewood Police Department responded around 9:17 p.m. Saturday to the 7300 block of Gleneagle Circle in Lakewood for a traumatic injury.

Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department Battalion Chief Brian Tamason said multiple juveniles suffered traumatic injuries after a tree fell on them.

Fire department radio traffic indicated a 14-year-old child suffered a severe back injury and one of the victims was possibly briefly unconscious.

Tamason said a LifeNet medical helicopter was placed on standby while fire crews were responding.

Additional fire department crews were also requested to respond to the scene.

Tamason said incident command was established at the scene and paramedics found a total of three victims.

The LifeNet helicopter was requested to respond to a designated landing zone for transport of one of the victims to a Level 1 trauma center, Tamason said.

Fire department radio traffic indicated an ambulance transported the victim to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley.

The LifeNet helicopter landed at the helipad and the patient was transferred to the flight crew.

The helicopter flew the victim to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, which has a pediatric trauma center.

The child remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition, Tamason said.

The two other children were treated at the scene by paramedics and did not require transport to the hospital.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish a fire that engulfed a delivery truck before it was able to spread to an adjacent garage in Woodstock Friday morning.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and Woodstock Police Department responded around 8:02 a.m. Friday to the 400 block of West Judd Street for a report of a vehicle fire.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said multiple 911 callers reported a vehicle on fire.

Police officers arrived and reported the fire was 10 feet from the garage and 20 feet from the neighbor’s home.

Firefighters arrived within minutes and located a delivery-style step van parked in the driveway of a house, Vucha said.

There was heavy fire showing from the front of the van.

Fire crews quickly deployed a hose line and connected to a nearby hydrant to secure a positive water supply.

“Due to the quick actions of firefighters, the fire was contained to the vehicle and did not extend to the adjacent garage or residence,” Vucha said.

No one was trapped in the vehicle and no injuries were reported. A tow truck removed the vehicle from the driveway.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District.

A driver suffered only minor injuries after they drove their SUV off Gilmer Road into a wooded area, requiring firefighters to remove parts of trees and the car’s doors to free them near Mundelein.

The Wauconda Fire District initially responded around 12 p.m. Thursday to the area of Route 12 and North Old McHenry Road in North Barrington for a report of a vehicle crash.

A family member of the driver involved called 911 to report the crash, as the driver was confused about where they were, Wauconda Battalion Fire Chief John Spratt said.

Crews checked the area but did not find any crash.

Minutes later, the driver called 911 and dispatchers were able to determine they were off of Gilmer Road north of Fremont Center Road in unincorporated Mundelein.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Wauconda Fire District, Countryside Fire Protection District and Mundelein Fire Department responded and found a GMC Yukon SUV off the roadway.

The GMC sustained heavy damage after crashing into trees.

The driver, who was the sole occupant of the GMC, was trapped, Spratt said.

Firefighters spent around 10 minutes removing brush, trees and two doors of the GMC to safely free the driver.

An ambulance transported them to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with minor injuries, Spratt said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the crash. It is unknown if any citations would be issued.

Three police officers were attacked by a gang member who threatened to send Latin King gang members to kill them and was found with a machine gun, as well as an AR-15, in Mundelein.

The Mundelein Police Department received a complaint of a driver who was possibly under the influence on April 5.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Eryka Jones said the 911 caller reported they saw a car swerving and the driver, who was later identified as Roberto Duarte-Arcos, 21, of Mundelein, had stopped.

The caller said the driver stumbled out of his vehicle and was pumping gas at the Marathon gas station, 1080 West Maple Avenue in Mundelein.

Officers arrived and found Duarte-Arcos’ vehicle parked at the pumps still, Jones said.

Officers saw that Duarte-Arcos was the driver and there were two teenage juvenile passengers in the car.

Officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol on Duarte-Arcos’ breath and asked for his driver’s license but Duarte-Arcos gave them his credit card, Jones said.

Duarte-Arcos was believed to be under the influence and asked to step out of the car for further investigation.

Jones said Duarte-Arcos underwent field sobriety testing and showed multiple clues of impairment.

Officers attempted to place Duarte-Arcos under arrest for driving under the influence but he began tensing up and pulling away.

The officers took Duarte-Arcosto to the ground and he punched one of the officers in the face with a closed fist, Jones said.

He proceeded to kick and thrash around and threatened to spit on the officers so they placed a spit hood on him and were able to get him into the squad car, Jones said.

Duarte-Arcos allegedly continued to hit and kick the seats inside the squad car.

A search of the Duarte-Arcos’ vehicle revealed an AR-15 on the front passenger floorboard.

The AR-15 was fully loaded with one in the chamber and was directly accessible to Duarte-Arcos, Jones said.

Officers also found a backpack that contained a Glock, which was fully loaded with one in the chamber and had an extended magazine.

The Glock had an autosear device, also known as a “switch” modifier, rendering it fully automatic, Jones said.

The Glock’s magazine had Latin King markings on it. A third gun, a Springfield handgun, was found in the backpack.

It was fully loaded with a round in the chamber. Jones said the gun uses .45 ammo and officers previously found .45 ammo in the center console of the car.

Officers transported Duarte-Arcos to the police station for booking and multiple officers helped put him in a restraint chair.

An officer was strapping him down to the chair when he head-butted the officer on the left cheekbone, bit a second officer on the right forearm and twisted a third officer’s left thumb, Jones said.

Duarte-Arcos told the officers that he would have the Latin Kings and the Latin Counts find out where the officers live and kill them and their families, Jones said.

“The defendant did not simply spew out general threats. He specifically called Officer [name] a race traitor and told Officer [name] that he’ll find her kids and kill them,” Jones said.

“The Officers reasonably and fairly believe that this defendant’s threats to their lives and their family’s lives were serious, due to this defendant being a member of the Latin Kings,” Jones said.

Duarte-Arcos has the gang-affiliated tattoos on his body and the Glock magazine found in the car had Latin King markings.

He does not have a Firearm Owner’s Identification card or concealed carry license.

Jones said one officer had a large welt on her left eyebrow and a bruise on her left cheekbone, a second had a bite mark on his arm and a third officer’s left thumb was bruised and swollen.

Duarte-Arcos was charged with possession of a machine gun, four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, three counts of aggravated battery of a police officer, three counts of threatening a public official and three counts of resisting arrest causing injury.

“This Court should detain the defendant for the safety of the overall community and for the safety of the victims that he blatantly threatened,” Jones said.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Duarte-Arcos pending trial and Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the request, noting that the man has a history of weapons offenses.

Duarte-Arcos is scheduled to appear in court again on July 9 for a case management conference.

Guzman y Gomez, an Australian-based Mexican chain, has suddenly shut down all of its restaurants in Lake and McHenry counties as it exits the Chicago area just six years after entering the market.

Guzman y Gomez announced Friday that all GYG USA restaurants would “cease trading” on May 22.

“After six years of burritos and big dreams in Chicagoland, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our US restaurants,” the company said in a statement.

“To every guest who came through our doors – you chose us, and we never took that for granted,” the statement said.

The restaurant chain first came to the U.S. in 2020 with the opening of a location in Naperville.

It later expanded and opened restaurants in Crystal Lake, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove and other areas in the Chicagoland.

“To our team – thank you. Your passion and your purpose built something special. If you’re ever in Australia, Singapore or Japan, come find us – we’ll have your favs waiting for you,” the company said.

Guzman y Gomez is a Mexican-themed casual fast food restaurant chain based in Australia.

It was started in 2006 in Sydney by Steven Marks, who is from New York.

Marks told the Financial Review on Friday that the company’s U.S. plan was unsuccessful due to major decisions that did not come to fruition.

He cited “snowy Chicago” and focusing on drive-thrus as some of the reasons.

“I could look back and say – was Chicago the right place? A drive-through strategy to initiate our entry into the market – was that the right call? There’s all these little things that didn’t work in our favour that the team and I would probably do differently,” Marks told the newspaper.

“When it snows, everybody thinks delivery should be strong. But when it snows, you can’t drive,” he said.

A woman was in critical condition and had to be flown to the hospital after she was allegedly intentionally run over multiple times by a car driven by her husband in Oakwood Hills Friday evening.

The Oakwood Hills Police Department and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 7:37 p.m. Friday to the 0-100 block of Valley Drive in Oakwood Hills for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.

A 911 caller reported a man intentionally ran over a woman with a vehicle and the victim suffered head trauma.

The Cary Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene to assist.

A LifeNet medical helicopter was initially placed on standby and then requested to respond, according to Cary Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.

The victim was transported by ambulance to the helipad at Mercyhealth Hospital and Physician Clinic – Crystal Lake.

Vucha said the patient was transferred to the flight crew and flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, which is a Level 1 trauma center.

She suffered critical, life-threatening injuries, Vucha added.

According to police radio traffic, the suspect fled the scene in the gray 2020 Volkswagen Jetta but later returned to the scene and was detained by officers.

Court records show the suspect was Pablo Contreras, 50, of Oakwood Hills.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Contreras caused great bodily harm to his wife, who he lives with at the Valley Drive home.

He got into the Volkswagen and reversed out of the driveway, striking the victim with the rear of the car, the complaint said.

She was knocked to the ground and Contreras continued backing his vehicle up, running over the woman’s body with the Volkswagen’s tires, the complaint said.

Contreras drove over the woman’s body again when driving away from the scene, the complaint said.

The victim was left lying on the roadway in front of their home with blood on her face and head, along with bruising around her exposed torso.

Medical staff reported she suffered a crushed pelvis and a possible skull fracture and was placed on a breathing tube.

Contreras is facing charges of aggravated domestic battery, failure to report a crash involving injury, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of a crash involving injury.

Contreras was transported to the McHenry County Jail where he remains held awaiting an Initial Appearance Court hearing on Saturday.

A woman is dead and a second woman was injured after a crash involving an SUV and a semi-tractor-trailer truck shut down multiple lanes of Interstate 94 near Gurnee Saturday morning.

The Gurnee Fire Department, Libertyville Fire Department and Illinois State Police responded around 5:07 a.m. Saturday to Interstate 94 between Route 120 and O’Plaine Road near Gurnee for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.

A 911 caller reported a car was sideways in lanes 1 and 2 with a victim inside that had a possible broken neck, according to police radio traffic.

The car, a Mazda SUV, was heavily damaged and the second vehicle involved, a semi-tractor-trailer truck, was pulled off onto the right shoulder.

Gurnee Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Steffens said the crash involved the two vehicles and the Mazda sustained heavy damage.

The crash occurred in the westbound lanes of Interstate 94 at the 11.75-mile marker.

Paramedics found two adult females in the Mazda and one adult male in the semi-truck. None of the victims required extrication.

One of the women in the Mazda, who was the passenger, suffered life-threatening injuries and was unconscious, Steffens said.

She was transported by ambulance to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was pronounced dead, Steffens and Illinois State Police said.

The driver of the Mazda had no serious complaints regarding injuries but was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for evaluation.

The driver of the semi-truck was uninjured and signed a medical release at the scene declining transport to the hospital.

Illinois State Police said lanes 1, 2 and 3 remained shut down for the investigation for hours until being reopened around 10:45 a.m.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital to take possession of the deceased victim for an autopsy. Her identity has not been released.

State police say the cause of the crash remains under active investigation and further information was not immediately available.

A Mexican national was arrested after authorities say he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old child and was caught in the act by the victim’s mother at their apartment in Fox Lake.

The Fox Lake Police Department responded around 5:15 p.m. on May 13 to a report that a sexual assault had occurred in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue in Fox Lake.

The complainant reported that her 13-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted earlier that day, according to Fox Lake Police Department Sgt. Rick Howell.

Howell said officers determined during the investigation that the victim had been sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend, identified as Ricardo Rocha-Castro, 34, of Fox Lake.

The juvenile victim was transported to the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center.

She was evaluated by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and evidence was collected, Howell said.

A victim-sensitive forensic interview was also conducted by trained advocacy center personnel.

The child and her family were provided with social service resources through the Lake County Advocacy Center, DCFS and the Zacharius Center of Lake County.

Rocha-Castro fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival, Howell said.

The Palatine Police Department assisted in locating Rocha-Castro and he was taken into custody and transported to the Fox Lake Police Department.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, one count of criminal sexual assault of a child family member and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child family member.

Rocha-Castro was held at the Fox Lake Police Department and transported to First Appearance Court at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan last Friday.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Rocha-Castro pending trial and Rocha-Castro, who said in court he was a Mexican citizen, appeared for a detention hearing accompanied by a Spanish interpreter.

Prosecutors said Rocha-Castro, the mother and the daughter have lived in the Lincoln Avenue apartment together.

The mother was gone from the residence and returned around 4 p.m. on May 13 to find Rocha-Castro with his zipper down and the buckle undone, prosecutors said.

The child was hiding behind a door naked from the waist down with her underwear in her hand. Rocha-Castro fled and the child told her mother that Rocha-Castro had been touching her, prosecutors said.

During the victim-sensitive interview, the child told investigators that Rocha-Castro had been sexually assaulting her and did so just before her mother came home on May 13.

She also said Rocha-Castro previously had bribed the girl with money and then, when that would not work, he would physically force himself on her and use ruses in the process, prosecutors said.

Rocha-Castro made admissions to police that corroborated some of the victim’s statements, prosecutors said, adding that the victim’s mother “more or less” caught him in the act.

Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition to detain following the hearing.

Rocha-Castro remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 9 for a preliminary hearing.

A large barn was destroyed after it became fully engulfed in flames and spread to a second barn, leaving it also fully engulfed in flames, near Huntley Friday morning, fire officials said.

The Huntley Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11:44 a.m. Friday to the 14800 block of Church Road in unincorporated Huntley for reports of a structure fire.

Huntley Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said firefighters arrived to find a large barn fully engulfed in flames with multiple nearby structures threatened and a field fire burning across the roadway.

A large column of black smoke was seen in the distance.

The response was upgraded to a Working Fire and later elevated through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) for additional manpower, water resources and change of quarter companies due to the size of the incident and rapid fire spread.

Firefighters immediately deployed hose lines to begin extinguishing the fire and protecting nearby buildings, Vucha said.

An adjacent structure had already caught fire when fire crews arrived.

The approximately 90-foot by 40-foot barn was heavily involved in fire, with portions of the roof and exterior walls already beginning to collapse, Vucha said.

The fire occurred in a rural location that does not have fire hydrants in the area.

Rural water supply operations were established west of the fire scene where water tenders continuously shuttled water to support extinguishment efforts.

Vucha said firefighters shifted much of their focus to protecting nearby structures since the main barn was completely consumed by fire.

They worked to contain multiple rapidly spreading field fires fueled by strong winds.

Grass and brush fire trucks were deployed into the fields and crews worked to stop the fire’s spread.

The field fires were quickly extinguished and ultimately contained to less than an acre, Vucha said.

One adjacent barn that became involved contained hay, causing a labor-intensive and time-consuming extinguishment process for firefighters.

An excavator and additional heavy machinery were requested to the scene to assist firefighters with dismantling the dense stockpile of burning hay.

Vucha said the bulk of the fire involving the barns was extinguished within approximately 90 minutes.

The barn containing hay is expected to continue burning and smoldering for several hours while crews work to tear apart and fully extinguish the tightly packed hay.

The primary barn was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no animals were injured during the incident, Vucha said. No firefighter injuries were reported.

The Huntley Fire Protection District thanked the numerous assisting fire agencies that responded to the scene, the departments that provided coverage at Huntley fire stations throughout the incident and the SEECOM 9-1-1 public safety telecommunicators for their assistance and coordination during the response.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Huntley Fire Protection District.

Funeral services are set for a Grayslake man who died after he crashed his motorcycle into a car in North Chicago as his family remembers him for being a talented drummer and “truly one of a kind.”

The North Chicago Police Department and North Chicago Fire Department responded around 12:08 a.m. on May 7 to Route 41 and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in North Chicago for a vehicle crash with injuries.

Fire crews arrived and found a two-vehicle crash involving a car and a motorcycle.

Emergency crews reported there was heavy damage involved and the rider of the motorcycle was down on the ground.

Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton identified the victim as Rodolfo Suris, 36, of Grayslake.

North Chicago Assistant Police Chief Gary Lunn said the crash occurred just north of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive along Route 41 in the northbound lanes.

A police report said a 2021 BMW motorcycle and a 2021 Kia sedan were traveling northbound.

The BMW motorcycle struck the rear of the Kia and Suris was ejected from the motorcycle.

Paramedics rushed Suris to Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital for treatment of his serious injuries. Lunn initially said Suris was reported to be stable in the hospital.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner was told that Suris remained hospitalized but was in critical condition at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Newton said that Suris died in the hospital’s intensive care unit on the evening of May 13.

An obituary for Suris said he was a talented drummer whose love for music reflected his “vibrant personality.”

“He found freedom on the open road riding his motorcycles and was known by everyone who loved him as fun-loving, active, and full of life. His laughter was unforgettable, and his larger-than-life personality brought countless memories to those around him,” his family said in his obituary.

Suris leaves behind his parents, four siblings, nieces and many other extended family members and friends.

“Rudy’s presence was truly one of a kind. Though his time here was far too short, the love, laughter, and happiness he shared with others will continue to live on through all who knew and loved him. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered,” his obituary said.

A preliminary coroner’s investigation determined Suris died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries as a result of the crash.

The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) was called to the scene to assist with evidence collection during the investigation, Lunn said.

No one else was injured besides the motorcyclist. Impairment was not suspected to be a factor, the report said.

The driver of the Kia remained at the scene and cooperated.

Lunn said that a preliminary investigation indicates speed may have been a factor in the crash.

A visitation is set for 4-8 p.m. Friday at Strang Funeral Chapel in Grayslake. A memorial service will then begin at 6 p.m. Friday.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by MCAT and the North Chicago Police Department.

A man died at the scene after he drove off the roadway and crashed into a utility pole before being found unresponsive in Wonder Lake Monday afternoon, police officials said.

The Wonder Lake Police Department and the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District responded around 2:20 p.m. Monday to the area of West Wonder Lake Road and Pebble Creek Court in Wonder Lake for a vehicle crash.

Wonder Lake Chief of Police Kyle Mandernack said responding personnel were informed that the driver of the vehicle may have experienced a medical emergency prior to the collision.

Officers arrived and made contact with the driver and passenger of the vehicle.

The driver, a 68-year-old man, was found unconscious and not breathing.

Members of the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District attempted lifesaving measures, Mandernack said.

Officers were later informed by medical personnel that the man had been pronounced dead at the scene.

The passenger, who was a family member of the driver, told officers that the male driver appeared to have experienced a medical emergency before becoming unresponsive, Mandernack said.

The vehicle then went off the roadway and struck a utility pole, causing moderate damage to the car.

The passenger was uninjured in the crash and both occupants were believed to be wearing their seatbelts, Mandernack said. The car’s airbags had deployed.

There were no indications that alcohol was a factor in the incident, Mandernack said.

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene and launched a death investigation. The victim’s identity has not been released.

Mandernack said the investigation remains ongoing in conjunction with the McHenry County Coroner’s Office and their findings.

Detectives are following up on leads after a person made a fake call claiming they killed their family, prompting an emergency response to a home in unincorporated Lake Villa Wednesday evening.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Villa Police Department and Lake Villa Fire Protection District responded around 9:25 p.m. Wednesday to a home in the 24800 block of West North Road in unincorporated Lake Villa.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said a caller claimed he was 14-years-old and claimed he killed his entire family.

When sheriff’s deputies arrived, the caller changed his story and said he was going to start shooting members of his family.

Deputies made contact with the residents of the home and confirmed they were safe, Covelli said.

Fire/rescue personnel were staged in the area while deputies investigated.

Lake Villa police officers assisted deputies at the scene.

The situation is known as “swatting,” which is when a hoax call is made in an attempt to create a large emergency response – like SWAT teams – to a specific location.

Covelli said deputies and detectives have developed leads on a possible suspect who made the call.

“Sheriff’s deputies and detectives are furthering that aspect of the investigation,” Covelli said.

Two men were taken into custody after they allegedly held a 13-year-old boy riding his bicycle at knifepoint during an apparent robbery attempt in Woodstock.

Jose O. Manuel-Martinez, 18, of Woodstock, and Khalil S. Hyde, 18, of Woodstock, were charged with aggravated unlawful restraint, intimidation and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Hyde and Manuel-Martinez were armed with a knife around 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

They unlawfully detained a juvenile victim by stopping his bicycle and holding him at knifepoint, the complaint said.

The complaint said Manuel-Martinez and Hyde demanded property from the child.

They also allegedly threatened to harm him if he did not give the locations of his friends, the complaint said.

Manuel-Martinez and Hyde brandished the knife during the encounter, causing the boy to be fearful that he was going to be harmed, the complaint said.

Court documents said the incident was a seemingly random act and there was nothing tying the victim to the suspects.

The victim is 13 years old and the incident occurred along Eastwood Drive, also known as Route 47, in Woodstock.

The Woodstock Police Department investigated the case and arrested Manuel-Martinez and Hyde.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain both men pending trial, arguing they pose a danger to the community.

McHenry County Judge Michael Feetterer granted the petitions and remanded both to the McHenry County Jail following Initial Appearance Court hearings.

“No condition or combination of conditions can mitigate the real and present threat of any person or the community based on the specific articulable facts of the case,” Feetterer said in his ruling.

“GPS serves a purpose, but the nature of these allegations appears to be a random act, and a GPS would not protect the community as a whole,” he added.

Hyde is scheduled to appear in court again on June 17 for a preliminary hearing and Manuel-Martinez is scheduled to appear in court again on June 11 for a preliminary hearing.

A worker was flown to the hospital after falling 40 feet to the ground from a tree and suffering serious injuries at a residence in Bull Valley Thursday morning.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded around 10:12 a.m. Thursday to the 200 block of Cold Springs Road in Bull Valley for a report of a victim who fell.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said dispatchers advised responding fire crews that the patient was unconscious.

The updated information prompted an air standby of a medical helicopter.

Paramedics arrived and located the adult male victim, who was conscious but suffering from several traumatic injuries, Vucha said.

The man was a worker performing tree removal services on the property when he fell approximately 40 feet to the ground.

Firefighters and paramedics provided emergency medical care at the scene before transporting him by ambulance to the helipad at Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital, Vucha said.

A Mercyhealth REACT medical helicopter was waiting at the helipad and the patient was transferred to the flight crew.

The helicopter flew the victim to Javon Bea Hospital — Riverside in Rockford, which is a Level 1 trauma center, with injuries believed to be serious, Vucha said.

Two people were transported to the hospital after one became sick and another fell into the water in Riverwoods during a canoe race down the Des Plaines River in Lake County.

The Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District responded around 12:45 p.m. Sunday to the Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area, 21950 North Riverwoods Road in Riverwoods, for a medical call.

Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Steve McCaughey said crews arrived and found a person who became sick and overheated.

The person had been canoeing in the Des Plaines River in the area of the nature preserve.

They were part of the Des Plaines River Canoe and Kayak Marathon event that began around 8 a.m. Sunday in Libertyville.

It was the 69th annual event and is an 18.5-mile race that runs from Libertyville to Cook County, according to the event flyer.

A 5.25-mile minithon starts at Potawatomi Woods and finishes at the same location, the event flyer said.

The person who became overheated was on shore when paramedics arrived and did not need assistance out of the water, McCaughey said.

While crews were on the scene, another canoer in the race got too close to the area where the first canoer was and somehow fell into the water at a rapid part of the river.

McCaughey said another canoer assisted them out of the water and brought them to shore where paramedics evaluated them. Multiple fire department resources responded to the scene.

Both patients were transported by ambulances to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville in good condition.

Two police officers were taken to the hospital after the one driving swerved their police car in an “evasive maneuver” to avoid hitting an SUV that allegedly ran a stop sign, ending up inside a North Chicago home Wednesday evening.

The police car was traveling southbound on Wright Avenue, approaching 20th Street in North Chicago at around 10:39 p.m. on Wednesday.

Wright Avenue and 20th Street is a four-way stop.

“As the vehicle was passing through the intersection of 20th Street it made an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision with another vehicle and ended up striking the front of a house in the 2200 block of 20th Street,” North Chicago Assistant Police Chief Gary Lunn said.

The car crashed into the front of a house at the southwest corner of the intersection.

A resident was inside the house at the time, but they were in an area other than where the car crashed into the house, and they were not injured, Lunn added.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to investigate.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said the police car was driven by a recruit officer, with their training officer as the passenger.

The pair was responding to back up another officer who was on a traffic stop, Covelli said.

“According to both officers, once they began going through the intersection, a dark colored SUV disobeyed a stop sign on 20th, causing the North Chicago officer to have to abruptly swerve and drive off the roadway,” Covelli said.

“The officer was then unable to control the squad and crashed into a home,” Covelli added.

The North Chicago Fire Department responded to the scene.

Both officers were transported to Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.

Covelli said the officers suffered minor injuries, while Lunn said there were no injuries and they were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

No one else was injured.

Police tape surrounded the house.

The North Chicago Building Department and North Shore Gas responded to the scene.

A tow truck later removed the car from the house.

The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

A Marengo woman was sentenced to over 12 years in prison after she was caught driving drunk for the sixth time — driving into oncoming traffic and crashing in Marengo — and then later causing a separate DUI crash that left her seriously injured in Crystal Lake.

Kathie L. Zaremba, 62, of Marengo, was stopped by the Marengo Police Department around 4:20 p.m. on March 15, 2024.

Officers received a driving complaint in the 900 block of Franks Road in Marengo.

The caller reported a gray Jeep stopped in the roadway with a driver who appeared to be intoxicated, prosecutors said.

Police officers observed the Jeep, driven by Zaremba, cross over the center line.

Officers initiated a traffic stop and made contact with Zaremba and smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle, prosecutors said.

A subsequent driving under the influence investigation revealed “clear signs” of impairment, prosecutors said.

Zaremba was taken into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class A misdemeanor.

A further investigation into her criminal history showed at least three prior DUI convictions, resulting in her charges being upgraded to aggravated driving under the influence with three prior violations, a Class 2 felony.

She was released from custody and just three days later was involved in a major crash in Crystal Lake.

The Crystal Lake Police Department and Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 9:36 p.m. on March 18, 2024, to the area of Huntley Road and Boneset Drive.

Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Richard Neumann said officers arrived to find a two-vehicle crash.

A preliminary investigation revealed Zaremba’s Jeep SUV was traveling southbound on Huntley Road near Boneset Drive.

The Jeep crossed into the northbound lane of traffic, Neumann said. It collided head-on with a sedan that was traveling northbound.

Neumann said Zaremba and the two occupants in the sedan were transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

Zaremba suffered serious injuries and was flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

A LifeNet medical helicopter landed at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley where an ambulance transferred her to the helicopter. The others involved suffered minor injuries.

Zaremba was initially charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class A misdemeanor, in that crash but the charges were later upgraded to aggravated driving under the influence with three prior violations, a Class 2 felony, as well as several petty offenses.

Neumann said a portion of Huntley Road was shut down for several hours while police investigators worked on the scene.

An investigation by the Crystal Lake Police Department determined that Zaremba’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of the collision was 0.10, prosecutors said.

Zaremba was arrested in that case and released from the McHenry County Jail by McHenry County Judge Michael Chmiel.

While on pre-trial release in both cases, Zaremba was arrested again by the Marengo Police Department after they found her driving under the influence of alcohol on January 4, court records show.

Prosecutors said that incident stemmed from a dangerous crash around 7:20 p.m. that was witnessed by members of the Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts.

Emergency crews saw a yellow Hummer cross into oncoming traffic, veer into a ditch and strike a water shut-off valve and pipe before coming to rest in the parking lot of a Taco Bell.

Responding officers determined Zaremba was driving and immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol, prosecutors said.

The officers observed that Zaremba had red, glossy eyes and slurred speech.

Zaremba displayed multiple signs of impairment and was taken into custody following the investigation, prosecutors said.

A search warrant was obtained and Zaremba’s blood was drawn and later analyzed, revealing a blood alcohol concentration of 0.150 — nearly twice the legal limit.

Investigators also determined that Zaremba had at least five prior DUI convictions, making this her sixth DUI offense.

She was charged with aggravated driving under the influence with five or more prior violations, a Class X felony, which carries up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Zaremba pleaded guilty to the Class X felony on Wednesday and was sentenced by McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt to 12 years and six months in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) pursuant to the plea agreement.

In January, Zaremba pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class 2 felony, in connection with the March 15, 2024, arrest. She was sentenced to seven years in the IDOC in that case.

Prosecutors argued during a sentencing hearing in that case in March that Zaremba poses a significant danger to the community, citing a criminal history dating back to 1994, beginning with her first DUI arrest.

Prosecutors also highlighted her repeated disregard for court orders and bond conditions.

“Enough is enough. Over and over again, this person continued to endanger innocent people on our roadways. Despite multiple prior DUI convictions, prior accidents, Ms. Zaremba continued to drive drunk,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said following Zaremba’s latest prison sentence.

“This sentence reflects my office’s steadfast commitment to holding repeat DUI offenders accountable and protecting the safety of the public,” Freese said.

Zaremba will be placed on three years of mandatory supervised release following her release from prison. Both sentences will be served concurrently.

Funeral services are set as a family says they are left with “immense grief” after a 17-year-old boy, who was a junior at Waukegan High School and described as a “truly sweet boy,” died from drowning while swimming in Waukegan.

The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 5:30 p.m. Monday to the Waukegan North Harbor, 199 East Madison Street in Waukegan, for a report of a water rescue.

Waukegan Fire Department Battalion Chief Todd Zupec said 911 dispatchers reported that a person was under the water in the harbor channel area.

Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the victim on Tuesday as Gabriel Ramirez, 17, of Waukegan.

Bystanders reported that Ramirez went missing in Lake Michigan and emergency crews arrived at both the Waukegan Harbor and the Waukegan Municipal Beach to begin a search.

Zupec said friends of Ramirez were located and reported they had been swimming in the channel with Ramirez but he did not make it out of the water. The friends then called 911 for help.

The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level, prompting the response of boats, divers and sonar equipment from fire departments throughout the county but was canceled a short time later.

The U.S. Coast Guard also responded to aid in the search.

Bill Barron, who said he had been in the area of the Waukegan Harbor for most of the day, heard ambulances, fire trucks and police cars responding to the area.

Zupec said a rescue boat with divers was deployed to the channel and the area of the last seen point.

The fire department launched a boat to the south rocks and returned to the dock just after 6:20 p.m., Barron said.

Zupec said divers were deployed and were able to find Ramirez within minutes of searching along the breakwall near the bottom.

Firefighters brought him back to the Waukegan North Harbor.

Barron said firefighters and paramedics were actively performing CPR on the victim and placed him onto a stretcher.

He was wearing shorts but no shirt or shoes when he was pulled from the water.

Ramirez, who was unresponsive, was loaded into an awaiting ambulance, which remained on the scene for 10-15 minutes, Barron said.

The ambulance transported Ramirez to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan in critical condition.

Banek said Ramirez was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Ramirez was a junior at Waukegan High School, according to Waukegan Public Schools Director of Communications and Chief of Staff Nicholas Alatzakis.

“Our hearts are with his family, friends, classmates, and everyone in our school community who is grieving this heartbreaking loss. We know this news is deeply difficult for many of our students and staff. Counseling services have been made available, and our focus remains on supporting those impacted during this time,” Alatzakis said to Lake and McHenry County Scanner.

Waukegan High School Principal Daniel Hill said in a letter to parents that “our thoughts are with Gabriel’s family, friends, and all those impacted by this loss.”

“We recognize that this news may be difficult for our students, especially during finals week. At school, we have made additional counseling and support services available,” Hill said.

Members of the school’s mental health response team are on campus to support students who may need someone to talk to.

“We encourage you to check in with your child and reach out if they need additional support. If you have concerns or would like assistance, please contact the school. We remain committed to supporting our students and ensuring they feel safe and cared for during this time,” Hill said.

Zupec said no other injuries were reported at the scene.

“The Waukegan Fire Department would like to remind residents to not swim in areas that are not designated for swimming. Dangerous currents exist around the piers and rock walls even during calm conditions. Please do not swim during dangerous weather or outside protected areas,” Zupec said.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital and took possession of Ramirez for an autopsy.

The autopsy was conducted on Tuesday morning and examination results confirm his death was consistent with drowning, Banek said.

An obituary for Ramirez said he was a “noble-hearted boy” dedicated to his studies from a young age.

“As he grew older, he proudly helped his parents make ends meet—whether by assisting with household chores or working as a food delivery driver. His loss leaves an immense void in the lives of his parents… as well as in the lives of many friends from Waukegan High School and family members,” his obituary said.

A visitation has been scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Thursday at The Memorial Chapel of Waukegan, 1521 Washington Street in Waukegan.

A funeral mass is set for 10 a.m. Friday at Most Blessed Trinity Parish – Holy Family Catholic Church, 450 Keller Avenue in Waukegan.

A burial will follow at Ascension Catholic Cemetery, 1920 Buckley Road in Libertyville.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family of Ramirez with the unexpected expenses. The account has raised over $8,500 with an $11,000 goal.

Evelyn Grijalva-Carrillo, who is the cousin of Ramirez, said the unexpected death has left the family “reeling” with “immense grief” and also burden of unforseen expenses.

“Gabriel was my cousin—a truly sweet, non-problematic, and hard-working teen who was deeply committed to his schoolwork. He loved working out and was known for his dedication, often doing DoorDash to help his parents with financial support,” she said.

Firefighters rescued three pets from a fire that injured one resident and heavily engulfed a house in Round Lake, causing significant damage late Wednesday evening.

The Grayslake Fire Protection District, Round Lake Police Department and several automatic aid fire departments responded around 11:10 p.m. Wednesday to the 1900 block of South Jonathan Drive in Round Lake for a report of a structure fire.

The address is in the Village of Round Lake but is covered by the Grayslake Fire Protection District.

The first fire engine arrived within six minutes and found heavy fire coming from the garage and second floor, which was spreading to the attic area of a two-story home, Grayslake Battalion Fire Chief Jim Weidman said.

Three residents were in the home at the time of the fire, who were able to escape before firefighters arrived.

“We initiated a defensive mode of attack due to the heavy fire conditions,” Weidman said at the scene.

The home’s structural integrity was also compromised, posing a hazard for firefighters.

A ladder truck from the Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District was deployed to attack the fire from above, Weidman said.

Firefighters rescued three pets from the house, and they were reunited with their owners.

In one of the rescues, firefighters were seen deploying a ground ladder to the left side of the home and safely rescuing a cat from an opening on the second floor.

One of the residents sustained minor injuries and was evaluated by paramedics, but they refused to be transported to the hospital, Weidman said.

No one else was injured.

A box alarm was requested for both firefighting apparatus and fire investigators through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.

Emergency vehicles were lined along Jonathan Drive and Cedar Lake Road south of Route 60.

The American Red Cross was not needed because the displaced residents were able to find a place to stay, Weidman added.

The Greater Round Lake, Countryside, Libertyville, Mundelein, Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Beach Park and Wauconda fire departments assisted at the scene.

The Newport Township, Antioch, Beach Park, Waukegan, North Chicago and Long Grove fire departments provided coverage for Grayslake during the incident.

The fire remains under investigation, but damage is estimated at $400,000, Weidman said.