A driver was left with critical, life-threatening injuries and was flown to the hospital after he was ejected from a car that rolled over near Huntley Wednesday afternoon.

The Huntley Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:57 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Route 47 and Foster Road in unincorporated Huntley for a report of a crash with possible injuries.

Huntley Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said fire crews arrived approximately eight minutes later and found a single-vehicle crash.

The crash was approximately one-half mile east of Route 47 on Foster Road.

Firefighters reported finding a heavily damaged Jeep overturned on its side.

Vucha said the adult male driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was located in the roadway near the vehicle.

He was believed to have been ejected from the car during the crash.

Paramedics immediately began initial assessments and treatment of the victim, Vucha said.

A LifeNet medical helicopter was requested to respond to the Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital helipad due to the severity of the injuries.

Vucha said the man was transported by ambulance to the hospital where care was transferred to the flight crew.

The helicopter flew the man to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with critical, life-threatening injuries.

Foster Road remained completely closed from Route 47 to Conley Road into Wednesday evening as emergency crews operated at the scene and investigators processed the crash site.

The cause of the crash remains under active investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

Police arrested a 61-year-old man who allegedly tried soliciting two children, whom he did not know, for sex while they were walking in McHenry, authorities said.

Michael A. Novak, 61, of McHenry, was charged with one count of indecent solicitation of a child with the intent to commit criminal sexual assault, a Class 2 felony.

McHenry Police Department Public Affairs Officer Ashley O’Herron said Novak approached two children in the area of Elm Street and Front Street in McHenry.

The two teenagers, who were under the age of 18, reported they were walking in the area at the time.

The victims did not know Novak, who made “inappropriate propositions” to them, O’Herron said.

A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Novak asked both juveniles if he could perform a sex act on them, despite knowing they were underage.

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Novak eventually left the juveniles alone.

One of the juveniles walked by the McHenry Township Fire Protection District station nearby and stopped to talk with a firefighter outside, O’Herron said.

O’Herron said Novak continued on his way after the child sought help and the juvenile’s parents met with the child at the fire station.

Novak was later identified through video surveillance from a nearby business and taken into custody by the McHenry Police Department.

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Novak pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community.

McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis granted the request during an Initial Appearance Court hearing on Wednesday.

Novak remains held in the McHenry County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on Friday for a status of preliminary hearing.

A semi-truck hit low-hanging wires from a leaning utility pole on Route 12 in Fox Lake Tuesday afternoon, causing the road to be shut down and power to go out in the area while crews made repairs.

The Fox Lake Police Department and Fox Lake Fire Protection District responded around 1:10 p.m. Tuesday to Route 12 south of Sayton Road in Fox Lake for a report of downed wires.

Police officers and firefighters arrived to find a leaning utility pole with live wires down across all lanes of Route 12 near the Toyota of Fox Lake dealership.

Fox Lake Police Chief Dawn DeServi said that ongoing construction at 91 Route 12, a property adjacent to the Toyota dealership, reportedly caused the pole to lean towards the roadway and lower the wires over Route 12.

Witnesses reported that a semi-truck traveling northbound on Route 12 struck the wires, causing the pole to lean further and the wires to fall onto the road.

The semi-truck did not stop and continued traveling northbound on Route 12, DeServi said.

The driver was likely unaware that their truck hit the wires, according to the witnesses. The semi-truck has not been identified.

The police shut down all lanes of Route 12 between Sayton Road and Frontage Road while field employees with ComEd responded to the scene.

Firefighters remained on scene until ComEd arrived.

Power was temporarily shut off in the area while multiple ComEd field employees conducted repair operations.

At around 2:15 p.m., a man in a sedan pulled out of one of the nearby shopping centers and traveled southbound on Route 12, appearing to either be unaware or not caring about the downed wires and ongoing repairs.

The man then slowly drove under the wires, despite ComEd employees and a police officer yelling at him, a Lake & McHenry County Scanner reporter at the scene witnessed.

The man continued traveling southbound on Route 12.

Crews were seen using boom lifts and a specialized claw to straighten the pole and clear the wires from the road.

Repairs were completed, power was restored and all lanes of Route 12 were reopened at around 3 p.m.

Traffic was heavily congested on Frontage Road and Sayton Road while road closures were in effect.

No injuries were reported, DeServi said.

Prosecutors say a man launched a “vicious” unprovoked attack on employees at a motel in Gurnee where he struck one in the head with a baseball bat and punched a second after becoming upset over cleaning supplies.

Cameron R. Scott, 35, of Gurnee, was charged with battery with a deadly weapon, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony.

The Gurnee Police Department and Gurnee Fire Department responded around 10:55 a.m. Tuesday to the Gurnee Motel, formerly the FairBridge Inn Express, located at 3740 Grand Avenue, for a report of a disturbance involving multiple people.

Gurnee Police Department Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said that staff at the business called 911 after Scott, who was a patron, was involved in a verbal dispute with one of the employees.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Hillary Price Cohen said Scott is a long-term guest at the motel and had been staying there for approximately three weeks.

He had told staff that he did not want anyone to come in and clean his room and usually asks for cleaning supplies to clean his own room, Price Cohen said.

Price Cohen said the argument with the employee was over Scott becoming unhappy with the smell or amount of cleaning supplies that he was given.

“During the incident, Scott went behind the counter and entered a restricted area of the business, where the argument continued,” Gaylor said.

“As the clerk attempted to retrieve a baseball bat from beneath the counter, Scott struck her in the head with his fist,” Gaylor added.

Scott struck the woman in the head so hard that she was knocked back and suffered ringing in her ears moments after she had said she was going to call his father, who pays his motel bill, Price Cohen said.

The man also allegedly called the victim a slur before the attack.

Scott took the metal baseball bat but the woman was able to take it back and strike Scott in the ribcage with it, Price Cohen said.

Additional employees responded after hearing the disturbance.

Scott allegedly charged at the other employees and struck a hotel manager in the back of the head with the bat.

His head split open and blood went everywhere, Price Cohen said. A struggle ensued over the bat and Scott struck the manager in the front of his body with the bat, Price Cohen said.

Another employee tried to stop Scott from striking the manager again with the bat. All three went to the ground as Scott continued swinging the bat and the employees tried to stop him, Price Cohen said.

It took three employees to restrain Scott on the ground until Gurnee police officers arrived.

The officers arrived and saw several people in the parking lot who were holding Scott on the ground.

A total of four ambulances from the Gurnee Fire Department, along with a fire engine and the shift commander, responded to the scene, Gurnee Battalion Fire Chief Tim Steffens said.

Firefighter/paramedics took three employees to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville to be evaluated for their injuries.

“Scott was also transported to the hospital for evaluation of injuries sustained during the incident,” Gaylor said.

Steffens said all four sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Price Cohen said the manager who was attacked with the bat suffered a large laceration to the head.

A fifth person was evaluated by paramedics but refused to be transported to the hospital.

Crime scene tape was set up at a portion of the parking lot by the front doors of the motel.

Blood was seen on the ground of several portions of the crime scene.

A blood-soaked towel, G-Shock watch and face mask were left behind.

Officers were seen taking photos and processing evidence both inside and outside the motel.

Scott appeared at the Lake County Courthouse for a First Appearance Court hearing on Wednesday morning and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him pending trial.

Price Cohen said the “vicious attack” was unprovoked and was caught on video surveillance.

A detention hearing was held on Wednesday afternoon. Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Savannah Halcomb said during the hearing that Scott has “clear issues” in containing his anger.

Scott interrupted court proceedings during both hearings and had to be repeatedly told by judges not to interject.

A public defender for Scott argued for his release and said that the worker struck Scott first with the bat and that Scott felt like he was the victim.

The attorney acknowledged that Scott has serious mental health issues and the incident possibly was the result of a medication issue.

Lake County Judge James Newman granted the petition to detain Scott after saying the defendant was not going to follow any conditions he might impose on him if he were to be released.

Scott remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 24 for a preliminary hearing.

A truck crashed into a building in downtown Barrington and fled the scene and then a police officer was involved in a crash responding to the call, officials said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded last Wednesday to assist the Barrington Police Department following a crash involving one of their squad cars.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said the crash occurred around 8:55 a.m. at Route 14 and Lake Cook Road in Barrington.

An officer with the Barrington Police Department was operating an unmarked 2023 Dodge Charger.

The squad was traveling southeast on Route 14 just northwest of the Lake Cook Road intersection in the outside lane of traffic.

The police officer received an emergency call for service and activated the squad’s emergency lights, Covelli said.

Covelli said the officer began making a U-turn but struck a southeast 2012 Toyota Camry, driven by a 20-year-old Cary woman, who was traveling in the inside lane of traffic.

Nobody was injured in the crash but the squad required a tow truck to be removed from the scene.

No citations were issued to either driver since no injuries were reported, Covelli said.

Barrington Police Chief David Daigle said the officer involved in the crash was responding to a truck that struck the building at Long & Company Jewelers, 105 East Main Street in Barrington.

The truck fled the scene after damaging the building. It was not immediately clear whether the driver was caught.

A Waukegan alderman has been arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly using her dead mother’s ballot to cast a vote in the General Primary Election in Lake County.

Sylvia Sims Bolton, 67, of Waukegan, was charged with one count of mutilation of election material, a Class 4 felony, and one count of disregarding election code, a Class A misdemeanor.

Bolton is an elected alderman of Waukegan’s 1st Ward.

An investigation began into Bolton in March after the Lake County Clerk’s Office identified and flagged a vote-by-mail ballot that was associated with a deceased voter during its post-election review process.

A vote-by-mail ballot for Mary Sims was issued and mailed by the Lake County Clerk’s Office on February 5, the first day ballots could legally be mailed for the General Primary Election, according to election records.

The Lake County Clerk’s Office processed the cancellation of Mary Sim’s voter registration on February 12 after receiving notification of the voter’s death record from the Illinois Department of Public Health through the Illinois State Board of Elections voter registration system.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said a completed vote-by-mail ballot envelope was returned through the secure exterior drop box located outside the Lake County Clerk’s Office on February 26.

The vote-by-mail ballot for Mary Sims was flagged as voided and segregated from valid vote-by-mail ballots after being run through the intake process.

Election staff conducted their standard post-election review and verification process for challenged and voided ballot envelopes to ensure all valid ballots were properly processed and counted following the March 17 General Primary Election, prosecutors said.

All ballot envelopes are reviewed through automated systems designed to identify irregularities and flag ballots requiring additional review.

Ballots may be rejected or separated for further examination if they are determined to be overweight, underweight, submitted for a different election, unreadable due to barcode issues, previously rejected or associated with a cancelled voter registration record.

Election officials identified that the voter’s death record had been processed prior to the return of the ballot during their review on March 27, prosecutors said.

The matter was escalated internally and reported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for investigation after evaluating the returned envelope and confirming that the ballot had been submitted after the voter’s recorded date of death.

“The safeguards and verification procedures in place within our election system worked exactly as intended,” Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said.

“Our staff followed established protocols, identified the irregularity, and immediately coordinated with law enforcement to ensure this matter is thoroughly investigated. Protecting the integrity of our elections remains our highest priority,” Vega said.

A detective from the sheriff’s office responded to the Lake County Clerk’s Office to review the ballot materials later that day.

Prosecutors said a sheriff’s detective confirmed that the returned vote-by-mail ballot envelope contained a marked ballot and detectives obtained statements from the clerk’s office staff and collected evidence as part of their investigation.

The investigation showed Bolton received a vote-by-mail ballot for her mother, Mary Sims, after she died, prosecutors said.

Bolton filled out the ballot and signed Sims’ name to the ballot, knowing it was not possible for her to vote in the election, prosecutors said.

Bolton then allegedly submitted the ballot to an official clerk’s office ballot drop box.

“Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is something the public rightfully expects from all of us in government. This case is an example of the strong collaboration between the Lake County Clerk’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to thoroughly review allegations, follow the facts, and ensure our election laws are upheld fairly and impartially,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.

The investigation was reviewed by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, which filed charges on May 19.

Bolton surrendered Wednesday morning to the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in First Appearance Court on Wednesday morning.

“I want to thank Clerk Vega for his work in maintaining election integrity and the Sheriff’s Office for conducting a thorough investigation that brought all the facts to our office. While Lake County’s internal protocols and automated systems are effective, any attempt at voter fraud undermines democracy and must be prosecuted,” Lake County State’s Attorney Rinehart said.

The investigation did not uncover any facts linking the allegations against Bolton to her city duties, the state’s attorney’s office said. She has not been charged with official misconduct.

County officials say they are unaware of any previous investigations related to individuals using the vote-by-mail system to vote on behalf of deceased people in Lake County.

Authorities say a Mundelein man physically battered a woman, leading to security intervening, before becoming combative with responding police officers at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee.

Jesus Abrego, 24, of Mundelein, was charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, two counts of domestic battery, resisting a peace officer and obstructing a peace officer.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said Abrego and his wife were at Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee, on Friday.

The woman began complaining about Abrego and he then reportedly began accusing the victim of cheating on him.

Security personnel called the Gurnee Police Department after seeing Abrego pushing and pulling the victim by the shirt, with her appearing in distress, Katris said.

Abrego shoved the woman to the ground and security intervened and yelled at Abrego while separating the two, Katris said.

She had a scrape on her elbow from being pushed to the ground.

The victim told officers that she had experienced domestic violence previously and it usually happens when Abrego is drinking, Katris said.

Abrego became “extremely combative” when police became involved and he kicked an officer’s leg, Katris said.

Officers arrested him and tried to place him into a squad car but he allegedly began kicking a light pole in an attempt to avoid being put in the car.

Abrego continued to be belligerent in the booking room, tearing up papers and screaming “nonsense,” Katris said.

Abrego told officers after his arrest that the victim did not hit him and that he had no injuries, Katris said.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Abrego pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to his wife.

Lake County Judge Patricia Cornell ordered Abrego held in the Lake County Jail until a detention hearing, which was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Defense attorney Vanessa Sheehan, who is representing Abrego, argued for her client’s release while saying he does not have a criminal background and the victim has since moved out of his home.

Lake County Judge James Newman said that he was troubled by the allegations and said that what occurred happened in front of thousands and thousands of people at the biggest tourist attraction in Lake County.

“What’s happening when there’s not thousands and thousands of people around?” Newman asked, before noting the prior unreported domestic abuse involving the victim.

The judge said Abrego’s conduct with the police was “abysmal” but denied the petition to detain and said he believed there were conditions that could mitigate the threat Abrego poses.

Abrego was placed on Level 4 pre-trial services monitoring, ordered to be equipped with an alcohol monitoring device, have no contact with the victim and not possess weapons.

Abrego is scheduled to appear in court again on June 25 for a preliminary hearing.

One person was transported to the hospital and the roadway was shut down after a truck slammed into a pole, leaving it severed and leaning over in Woodstock Tuesday evening.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and Woodstock Police Department responded around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Washington Street and Mary Ann Street for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said fire crews arrived to find a single-vehicle crash involving a Chevrolet pickup truck.

The pickup truck appeared to have been traveling eastbound on Washington Street when it veered off the road and struck a utility pole head-on.

Firefighters reported the vehicle sustained heavy damage and the utility pole was damaged.

Vucha said the driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.

Washington Street was shut down in both directions from Mary Ann Street to Elm Lane while emergency crews and utility personnel worked on the scene due to the extent of the damage to the utility pole.

The roadway was expected to be shut down for an extended time as ComEd responded to repair the pole, which was severed, Vucha said. The pole was leaning over.

Please avoid the area and use alternate routes,” the fire district said.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the Woodstock Police Department.

A man allegedly went behind the counter during a dispute with employees at a Gurnee motel and beat multiple workers with a baseball bat, sending them to the hospital Tuesday morning.

Cameron R. Scott, 35, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery.

The Gurnee Police Department and Gurnee Fire Department responded around 10:55 a.m. Tuesday to the Gurnee Motel, formerly the FairBridge Inn Express, located at 3740 Grand Avenue, for a report of a disturbance involving multiple people.

Gurnee Police Department Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said that staff at the business called 911 after Scott, who was a patron, was involved in a verbal dispute with one of the employees.

“During the incident, Scott went behind the counter and entered a restricted area of the business, where the argument continued,” Gaylor said.

“As the clerk attempted to retrieve a baseball bat from beneath the counter, Scott struck her in the head with his fist,” Gaylor added.

Scott then allegedly took the metal baseball bat and used it to strike the female employee.

Additional employees responded after hearing the disturbance.

Scott allegedly charged at the other employees and began hitting them with the bat.

“During the altercation, one male employee was struck in the head with the bat,” Gaylor said.

Employees were able to restrain Scott until Gurnee police officers arrived.

The officers saw several people in the parking lot who were holding Scott on the ground.

Scott was in possession of the bat when officers arrived, Gaylor said.

A total of four ambulances from the Gurnee Fire Department, along with a fire engine and the shift commander, responded to the scene, Gurnee Battalion Fire Chief Tim Steffens said.

Firefighter/paramedics took three employees to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville to be evaluated for their injuries.

“Scott was also transported to the hospital for evaluation of injuries sustained during the incident,” Gaylor said.

Steffens said all four sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

A fifth person was evaluated by paramedics but refused to be transported to the hospital.

Crime scene tape was set up at a portion of the parking lot by the front doors of the motel.

Blood was seen on the ground of several portions of the crime scene.

A blood-soaked towel, G-Shock watch and face mask were left behind.

Officers were seen taking photos and processing evidence both inside and outside the motel.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved the two counts of aggravated battery against Scott.

A booking photo for Scott was not immediately available because he had not yet been booked into the Lake County Jail as of early Tuesday evening.

He is expected to appear at the Lake County Courthouse for his First Appearance Court hearing on Wednesday morning.

The incident remains under investigation by the Gurnee Police Department.

A judge released a driver accused of speeding, using her phone and driving drunk when she slammed into a semi-truck, leaving her Waukegan friend, who was a mother, dead on I-94 near Gurnee.

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 Priscilla M. Martinez, 29, of Gurnee, 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.

State police and family on Monday identified the passenger victim as Maria Conchita Perez, 35, of Waukegan.

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 Perez in the Mazda and one adult male in the semi-truck. None of the victims required extrication.

Perez, who was the passenger, suffered life-threatening injuries and was unconscious at the scene, Steffens said.

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

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. State police said the Mazda was traveling in the right lane at the time.

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, which is expected to be performed on Tuesday.

Waukegan resident Frankie Rosa said Perez was a “beautiful mother, a loving daughter, an amazing friend, and someone who brought light and laughter everywhere she went.”

“She had a kind heart, an outgoing spirit, and a way of making everyone around her feel loved and welcomed. Her smile, energy, and caring soul touched so many lives,” Rosa said.

Perez leaves behind a 17-year-old boy, who faces a life without his mother, her friends and family said.

Perez was the front desk manager at Tricoci Salon and Spa in Vernon Hills, one of her co-workers said.

She was also a pop-up coordinator for Community Outreach Waukegan, the group’s founder, Miguel A. Rivera Sr., said.

A GoFundMe account has raised over $7,500 with a $9,000 goal by 100 donors for the family’s unexpected funeral expenses.

Martinez 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.

Martinez was arrested by ISP special agents after being released from the hospital and was transported to the Lake County Jail.

She 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.

During the detention hearing, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Windmoeller said Martinez admitted to driving 15 mph over the posted speed limit, which is 65 mph in that section.

Martinez has a background of reckless driving, including speeding, Windmoeller said, adding that she had four convictions for driving offenses in one year.

Defense attorney Jed Stone, who is representing Martinez, argued for his client’s release pending trial and said there was a combination of conditions that could mitigate any danger she poses.

Stone said Martinez has a 5-year-old daughter and lives at home with her parents.

He argued that Martinez should be released so she can see a counselor to deal with the drinking and with taking the life of another person. “She feels that,” Stone said.

Windmoeller responded by saying that Perez was also a mother whose child no longer has a mother.

Lake County Judge James Newman said called it a “tragic situation” but told Martinez it occurred because of her actions.

The judge said the situation was compounded by speeding, drinking and being distracted on the cell phone. “Millions of decisions that night caused your friend to no longer be with us,” Newman said, adding that many people’s lives changed after the crash.

Newman denied the state’s petition to detain Martinez, saying that he struggled with the ruling because she does not have prior DUIs on her record but that he believed conditions could mitigate the threat she poses.

Martinez was placed on Level 4 pre-trial supervision, which includes no alcohol or drugs, and ordered to be fitted with an alcohol monitoring device. She was also ordered to abide by a curfew and not to drive.

She is scheduled to appear in court again on June 25 for a preliminary hearing.

The coroner has released the identity of a 67-year-old man who died in a freak accident after he was trimming trees in his yard near Wauconda when he got electrocuted 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.

Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the man on Tuesday as Edward Topel, 67, of Wauconda.

Topel lived at the home where the incident occurred, 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.

Banek said an autopsy was performed at the Lake County Coroner’s Office on Tuesday and the preliminary results showed Topel died as a result of thermal and electrical injuries as a result of the incident.

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.

A 4-year-old or 5-year-old child was injured and transported to the hospital after a car drove off Interstate 94 and crashed into a sound barrier wall, causing heavy damage near Gurnee.

The Illinois State Police, Gurnee Fire Department and Libertyville Fire Department responded around 4:45 p.m. Monday to Interstate 94 near Route 120 in Gurnee for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.

A 911 caller reported a child was unconscious and bleeding from the nose.

Gurnee Fire Department Lt. Jeremy Hagstrom said crews arrived and found a single-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of Interstate 94, just north of Route 120, at the 11.75 milepost.

The car, a black sedan, sustained heavy damage and four people were in the vehicle at the time.

No extrication was needed as all occupants were out of the car.

The car appeared to be traveling westbound on Interstate 94 when it veered off to the right, through the grass embankment east of the shoulder and struck the sound barrier wall.

Hagstrom said it is unknown how the crash occurred. There were tire tracks on the roadway.

Paramedics evaluated two adults and two children, including a 4-year-old or 5-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl.

Hagstrom said the younger child was transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.

While the young girl was initially reported to be unconscious, it was determined that her injuries were not serious or life-threatening.

The other child, as well as the two adults, were uninjured and declined transport to the hospital.

The fire department briefly shut down the far right lane of the interstate but it was later reopened. A tow truck pulled the car from the embankment and towed it from the scene.

The Illinois State Police is investigating the cause and circumstances of the crash.

A teenager was arrested after detectives found he was allegedly in possession of a loaded machine gun when he walked into a gas station in Waukegan while wearing a mask.

Detectives with the Waukegan Police Department Community Crimes Division were in an unmarked squad car traveling on Washington Street in Waukegan around 2:25 p.m. on March 25.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell said they observed a silver Subaru pull into the Exxon gas station at 2720 Washington Street and knew it to have been involved in an incident in North Chicago earlier in the month.

The detectives had been alerted by the North Chicago Police Department that the rear right passenger of the vehicle on that day had pulled a firearm and pointed it at people on the sidewalk.

The detectives observed that the Subaru had tint that was over the legal limit and they were unable to see into the vehicle.

Officers waited for backup to arrive to conduct a high-risk stop on the vehicle, which was parked by a pump at the gas station, McConnell said.

Detectives observed the juvenile front passenger of the vehicle exit as well as the rear passenger, identified as Ricardo Campos-Leyva, 18, of Waukegan, also exit the vehicle and go into the gas station.

McConnell said Campos-Leyva and the juvenile were both wearing balaclavas but Campos-Leyva’s was not fully pulled up. It was approximately 70 degrees outside.

Campos-Leyva was carrying a dark backpack and detectives noted that he was clenching his stationary left arm tightly to his body and reaching into his jacket as he walked, indicating he was concealing a firearm, McConnell said.

Campos-Leyva got back into the rear passenger seat and the juvenile got back into the front passenger seat. The car drove off from the gas station and officers conducted a traffic stop.

The vehicle initially did not stop and first moved towards the unmarked car, which had just activated the lights, McConnell said. The car began reversing before seemingly recognizing there were more police behind them and came to a stop.

Officers ordered all passengers out of the car and detectives observed a gun in plain view under the front passenger seat directly in front of where Campos-Leyva was sitting, McConnell said.

Detectives searched the vehicle and recovered the gun, which was a Glock 17 9mm handgun that was loaded with a round in the chamber and an extended magazine containing 31 rounds.

The gun also had an autosear device, known as a “switch,” attached that converts the gun into a fully automatic weapon, McConnell said.

Officers located a bottle containing 18 pills identified as Xanax where Campos-Leyva had been sitting.

Officers also located the backpack Campos-Leyva had been wearing into the gas station. It contained a gun case that had an extra magazine that was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, McConnell said.

The gun case would fit the Glock that was recovered from under the front passenger seat.

Officers also located numerous THC vapes and other similar items.

McConnell said detectives were able to review surveillance footage from inside the gas station, which showed Campos-Leyva continuing to walk with his left arm stiff to his body and reaching into his jacket in a manner that detectives know is consistent with someone carrying a firearm.

Detectives observed on the video the magazine of the firearm concealed on Campos-Leyva’s person.

The driver of the vehicle, who has a FOID card and can legally possess firearms, told detectives that she had previously seen Campos-Leyva carrying a gun and that she knew the backpack that Campos-Leyva had been wearing was his, McConnell said.

Campos-Leyva was charged with possession of a machine gun, four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance. The most serious charge is a Class X felony that carries up to 30 years in prison.

“This Defendant just turned 18 two months ago and does not have a FOID or a CCL and this Defendant nonetheless possessed a Glock which he had illegally turned into a machine gun with a round in the chamber and an extended magazine containing 31 rounds, plus extra ammunition in case this Defendant spent all of the 31 rounds he had armed his machine gun with, and he carried it into a gas station before trying to hide it under the seat in front of him when police arrived,” McConnell said.

“Similarly in this case this Defendant’s possession of a firearm that is altered to become a machine gun, with an extended magazine, a shiesty, and extra bullets is clearly inherently extremely dangerous and demonstrates that he poses a threat to the community and coupled with that mere possession this Defendant of the firearm he is prohibited from possessing said firearm because he is only 18 and does not have a FOID or CCL,” the prosecutor added.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Campos-Leyva pending trial and the request was granted by Lake County Judge Paul Novak during a detention hearing.

Campos-Leyva remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on June 9 for a case management hearing.

An Island Lake man, who is a convicted felon, has been found not guilty of speeding after he claimed racism and said he was pulled over for being a “black man driving a Mercedes” in Wauconda.

Levail Smith, 56, of Island Lake, was stopped by the Wauconda Police Department around 11:15 p.m. on August 17, 2025.

Smith later posted publicly on Facebook about “racism in Wauconda” and said he was profiled.

He said he was on his way home after helping some of his veteran brothers see their first live NFL game.

Smith said he left the game at halftime because he knew he had to get up for work on Monday morning at Lake County PADS.

Smith said he stopped at the BP gas station on Route 176 in Wauconda, a roadway he has driven “thousands of times” and always goes the speed limit.

Video from the traffic stop showed a police officer stopping Smith’s vehicle and informing him that he had stopped him for speeding.

“I wasn’t speeding, that’s a lie,” Smith said. The officer replied that it was not a lie and he had visually paced Smith’s vehicle going 15 mph over the limit as the officer was driving behind him.

Smith began yelling at the officer and arguing with him that he was not speeding.

“I’m going to tell the mayor about you, telling Eric Rinehart about yo a–. What’s your name? What’s your badge number?” Smith said in the video.

The officer went to his patrol car and came back a short time later, at which time he handed Smith a citation for speeding.

Smith asked for the officer’s supervisor, with the officer responding that he was the on-duty supervisor for the night, the video showed.

“I know rank and I know the mayor and I know more people than you think. You’re wrong right now,” Smith told the officer, adding that he would talk to the mayor in the morning.

The officer put the citation inside Smith’s car and began to walk away.

Smith began yelling at the officer and said he stopped him for being black, the video showed.

“Racist motherf–ker. Racist motherf–ker,” Smith yelled at the officer. “Please get home safe, sir,” the officer responded.

The Wauconda Police Department released the bodycam video of the traffic stop the day after the encounter, saying it was “committed to transparency and accountability.”

The department said it released the video of the stop to provide clarity to the community due to “online attention and false allegations.”

“The video clearly shows that the officer involved acted professionally and within the scope of his duties,” police officials said in August 2025.

“Allegations that the officer’s actions were motivated by racism are unfounded and not supported by the facts,” the department said.

Wauconda Police Chief David Wermes said he would not allow the reputation of his department or his officers to be falsely tarnished.

“Our officers serve this community with professionalism, and we are committed to making sure the truth is known,” Wermes said.

Smith, who said he was only driving 33 mph in a 35 mph zone, quickly deleted his public Facebook post where he claimed the encounter stemmed from racism and him being profiled.

“I truly think he was hoping to get a whiff of marijuana or alcohol container being open, but there was nothing happening,” Smith said in the post.

“Let’s face it. I got pulled over for being a black man driving a Mercedes in Wauconda. SMH deeply!” he added.

Court records show Smith’s traffic ticket case remained active over the past year, with him appearing in court multiple times.

A bench trial was held on Friday morning at the Mundelein Branch Traffic Courthouse and a judge found Smith not guilty of driving 15-20 mph above the limit.

Smith is a U.S. Marine veteran who served in the Middle East in Operation Desert Storm.

“My time in the Middle East affected me greatly and aggravated my underlying mental health conditions,” he said in an online profile, adding that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and now works with others who suffer mental health issues.

Smith received a $450,000 settlement from the City of Chicago after being shot multiple times by Chicago police officers in July 2014 while he was unarmed.

Court records show Smith is a convicted felon with numerous felony cases in Lake County dating back to 2004.

Those cases involve a range of charges, including armed kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated battery, armed violence, aggravated domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

At the time of the traffic stop in Wauconda, he was on probation in one of the cases after he pleaded guilty in August 2024 to aggravated battery in a public place in Mundelein.

Sheriff’s officials say they have arrested four and dismantled a drug house in Kenosha County that was tied to fraud, mail theft and burglaries, some of which occurred in Lake County.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office announced they concluded a “significant phase” of an ongoing investigation involving stolen mail, financial fraud, narcotics activity and burglary-related offenses.

Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lt. Chase Forster said deputies investigated multiple fraud complaints connected to stolen mail over the past approximately six weeks.

Detectives learned that personal and business checks were being stolen from mailboxes, altered and fraudulently used to obtain money.

Detectives were assigned to the investigation and developed information identifying several individuals believed to be involved, Forster said.

Kenosha County detectives uncovered evidence during the investigation linking the suspects to additional criminal activity, including narcotics offenses and burglaries involving storage units in the Antioch area, Forster said.

Members of the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Bureau, KDOG Unit and deputies executed a search warrant on Tuesday at a residence in the 11400 block of Antioch Road in Trevor, Wisconsin.

Four suspects were taken into custody during the search warrant, including Frank W. McClaughry, 40; Alicia R. Wojtowicz, 42; Thomas D. Wilton, 53; and Tammy F. Wilton (Wolbeck), 54.

Forster said detectives recovered a substantial amount of evidence during the search warrant, including more than 150 items associated with narcotics distribution, fraud activity and burglary investigations.

The items recovered included 28.3 grams of methamphetamine, 27.3 grams of marijuana, 6.1 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 0.5 grams of MDMA, a small quantity of cocaine, digital scales and drug paraphernalia.

They also found fraudulent and altered checks, check-washing materials and equipment, numerous burglary tools, identification cards belonging to other individuals and suspected stolen property connected to Antioch-area storage unit burglaries.

McClaughry was charged with two counts of mail theft, two counts of misappropriation of personal identification materials, four counts of felony bail jumping, possession of burglary tools, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had four active felony warrants.

Wojtowicz was charged with two counts of mail theft and two counts of misappropriation of personal identification materials. She also had a probation hold.

Thomas Wilton was charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tammy Wilton was charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a drug trafficking place and possession of methamphetamine. She also had a felony probation hold.

The charges are preliminary and additional charges are expected as the investigation continues, Forster said.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office said it is coordinating with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office regarding the storage unit burglaries in Antioch.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli said one of the individuals arrested in Kenosha County is believed to be connected to a stolen check case that his agency is investigating in unincorporated Lake Villa.

Covelli said his agency is not investigating any storage facility thefts but believes it was in incorporated Antioch.

Antioch Police Department Public Information Officer Jared Brussaly said his department is in communication and collaborating with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office and is working to identify potential victims.

“The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office will continue to aggressively target drug traffickers, drug houses, and the criminals who bring this activity into our communities. Investigations like this send a clear message that we will not tolerate the distribution of dangerous narcotics, organized crime, or repeat criminal behavior in Kenosha County,” Kenosha County Sheriff David Zoerner said.

“Our deputies and detectives remain committed to protecting our residents, holding offenders accountable, and working with our law enforcement partners to shut down these criminal operations wherever they exist,” Zoerner said.

The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office said they recognize the efforts of all detectives, deputies, supervisors and evidence personnel who assisted throughout the investigation and search warrant operation.

“Their teamwork and dedication led to the recovery of a significant amount of evidence and the dismantling of an active criminal operation tied to narcotics trafficking, fraud, and property crimes,” the agency said.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud related to this investigation and has not yet reported it is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency.

A husband has filed a lawsuit accusing Nicor Gas of negligence for a gas-fueled explosion and fire that killed his wife, seriously injured his son and left their home completely destroyed in Wonder Lake.

Wonder Lake resident Dean L. Patnaude filed a three-count lawsuit complaint in McHenry County Circuit Court on Friday.

The suit was filed on behalf of Patnaude by Crystal Lake-based law firm Balke & Williams and names Northern Illinois Gas Company, known as Nicor Gas Company, as the defendant.

The complaint says that Patnaude, 76, and his wife, Sandra Patnaude, 59, lived at a house in the 7400 block of Birch Drive in Wonder Lake.

Nicor Gas delivered, maintained and managed natural gas service to their property.

A natural gas leak occurred and led to an explosion at the home on May 17, causing Sandra Patnaude’s death, the complaint said.

The complaint said Nicor was negligent in monitoring the gas service at the property, inadequately responded to complaints of leaking gas before the explosion, provided inadequate warning to residents in the area of the dangerous leaking natural gas and allowed the gas service to remain in an unsafe condition.

The Wonder Lake Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7:50 p.m. that day and encountered an active house fire with significant damage and multiple injured victims, according to Wonder Lake Fire Chief Matt Yegge.

Firefighters immediately initiated both fire suppression operations and emergency medical care for the injured, Yegge said.

The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm to bring additional fire and EMS resources to the scene due to the severity of the incident.

Firefighters located an adult female victim dead at the scene, Yegge said, adding that there were two other victims still alive.

McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein said last week that his office has not positively identified the deceased victim yet due to the severity of the burns and further testing will be needed.

Court records, along with Jason Cynowa, a resident of Wonder Lake since 1977, identified the woman suspected to have died as Sandra Patnaude.

The two surviving victims were Dean Patnaude and a 28-year-old man, the sheriff’s office said.

Cynowa told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that the younger man was the couple’s son.

He called the incident the “most tragic thing” and a “horrific accident.”

“I have known these people for over 30 years and they are very good people and have been members of our community for probably as long as my family has been here,” Cynowa said.

Cynowa said the family are customers of his business. He created a GoFundMe account to help the family going forward and it has raised over $8,500.

“My customers seem to always get close enough to me like friends and family. Dean works in our area almost every day and so do I. Just very, very good-hearted people,” he said.

A LifeNet medical helicopter was requested to land nearby at Wonder Lake Fire Station #1.

An ambulance transported the 28-year-old male victim to the landing zone and transferred them to the flight crew.

The helicopter flew the man to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, which has a specialized burn center, in critical condition, Yegge said.

The husband was initially transported by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry. Sheriff’s officials said he suffered serious injuries.

A LifeNet medical helicopter later transferred him from Northwestern Medicine Hospital to Loyola University Medical Center for further treatment.

An autopsy was performed on the female victim and toxicology testing is pending, Rein said.

The explosion and subsequent fire also caused damage to two neighboring houses.

Firefighters worked to contain the fire and prevent further extension, Yegge said.

The house that exploded was left completely leveled and destroyed, with large pieces of the home thrown around the area. The home’s detached garage remained standing.

Dean Patnaude, who is the administrator of his wife’s estate, is seeking an unspecified amount in damages from Nicor in excess of $50,000, the lawsuit complaint said.

The complaint said the man suffered “severe and permanent injuries” and was “hindered and prevented from attending to his usual duties and affairs and has lost the value of that time; he suffered great pain and anguish, both in mind and body, and will in the future continue to suffer, he suffered and will continue great disabilities and an inability to enjoy a normal life and will in the future continue to suffer, and he has further expended and became liable for large sums of money for medical care and services endeavoring to become healed and cured of his injuries.”

Thomas Koch, who lives a half-mile away from the scene, told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that he heard the explosion, which sounded like a “massive boom” that shook the area.

“Shortly afterward, I could hear nonstop sirens as fire trucks and ambulances continued heading toward the scene. Seeing the large flames and thick smoke from that distance was honestly unbelievable,” he said.

Numerous other residents in Wonder Lake also reported hearing the explosion. “It shook our whole house 2.5 blocks away and all the neighbors felt it too,” one resident said.

Other residents who live in the area said they thought a vehicle had struck their house based on how loud the explosion was.

“We are two blocks away and it was raining paper on fire and a whole bunch of ashes. A bunch of mortgage papers,” another resident said.

Yegge said he could not confirm whether there was more than one explosion.

“The Wonder Lake Fire Protection District extends its deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragic event. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to our mutual aid partners who responded and provided critical assistance,” the fire chief said.

Investigators from MABAS Division 5, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are jointly conducting an investigation.

Yegge said he has been in the fire service for 30 years and has only seen a few incidents of this magnitude. “Very rare, very rare for you to see fire scenes like this.”

An initial court date in the lawsuit has been set for August 21 for a conference scheduling hearing.

A man driving a tractor was uninjured after the farm cultivator he was towing caught on live wires, trapping him in the tractor on Washington Street near Gurnee Saturday morning.

The Gurnee Fire Department responded around 11:40 a.m. Saturday to the 17100 block of West Washington Street, just west of Hunt Club Road in unincorporated Gurnee, for a report of downed wires.

Firefighters arrived to find a tractor towing a farm cultivator that had hit live wires.

The wires were live and on the ground.

The driver of the tractor remained inside while field employees with ComEd responded to the scene.

The westbound lanes of Washington Street at Hunt Club Road were shut down while ComEd crews responded.

ComEd arrived at around 12:10 p.m. and used a pole to remove the wires from the tractor.

The man was then able to safely exit.

No one was injured.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted with traffic control.

Gurnee Fire Department Lt. Eric Liebert reminded the public to always assume downed wires are live and dangerous.

If your vehicle ever hits wires, you should call 911 and stay inside the vehicle until a professional from the electric utility company deems it safe to exit.

Police have released the identity of a Waukegan woman, described as a “beautiful” mother, who died when her friend allegedly drove drunk and slammed into a semi-truck on I-94 near Gurnee.

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 Priscilla M. Martinez, 29, of Gurnee, 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.

State police and family on Monday identified the passenger victim as Maria Conchita Perez, 35, of Waukegan.

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 Perez in the Mazda and one adult male in the semi-truck. None of the victims required extrication.

Perez, who was the passenger, suffered life-threatening injuries and was unconscious at the scene, Steffens said.

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

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. State police said the Mazda was traveling in the right lane at the time.

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, which is expected to be performed on Tuesday.

Waukegan resident Frankie Rosa said Perez was a “beautiful mother, a loving daughter, an amazing friend, and someone who brought light and laughter everywhere she went.”

“She had a kind heart, an outgoing spirit, and a way of making everyone around her feel loved and welcomed. Her smile, energy, and caring soul touched so many lives,” Rosa said.

Perez leaves behind a 17-year-old boy, who faces a life without his mother, her friends and family said.

Perez was a pop-up coordinator for Community Outreach Waukegan, the group’s founder, Miguel A. Rivera Sr., said.

A GoFundMe account has raised over $7,500 with a $9,000 goal by 100 donors for the family’s unexpected funeral expenses.

Martinez 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.

Martinez was arrested by ISP special agents after being released from the hospital and was transported to the Lake County Jail.

She 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 large fire department response was sent after a report of an explosion and a fire that left the entire rear of a house engulfed in flames while the home was under renovation in Fox River Grove.

The Fox River Grove Fire Protection District and Fox River Grove Police Department responded around 11:52 p.m. Friday to the area of Route 22 and Gardner Road in Fox River Grove for a report of a structure fire.

Fox River Grove Fire Protection District Chief Robert Kreher said fire crews arrived in the area and located the fire in the 1000 block of Victoria Drive.

Initial reports indicated a house explosion and police arrived first to find the whole rear of the house on fire. A neighbor informed responders that the home was vacant.

Kreher said fire crews reported the entire rear of the single-family, two-story house was engulfed in flames.

The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level to bring additional fire departments to the scene.

Small propane tanks in the backyard likely caused the explosion in the back of the house.

Firefighters began extinguishing the fire and confirmed nobody was in the home, Kreher said.

The large house was under renovation at the time of the fire and no one was living inside.

Kreher said it took firefighters approximately 30 minutes to extinguish the fire and they remained on the scene conducting overhaul operations.

No injuries were reported to firefighters and the fire was contained to the house where it originated.

The fire caused extensive damage to the home. It spread into the attic and smoke and water damaged both floors of the residence, Kreher said.

The home will be uninhabitable until repairs can be made. Utility companies responded to secure the electrical and gas.

The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, Barrington, Barrington Countryside, Cary, Huntley, McHenry, Nunda Rural, Crystal Lake and Long Grove fire departments assisted.

Kreher said the fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature but remains under investigation.

Two off-duty FBI agents intervened to help an off-duty police officer who was working security when he was attacked by a suspect who had accosted a female customer at the Walmart in Waukegan.

Esteban Martinez-Cruz, 18, of North Chicago, was charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer, two counts of battery and resisting a peace officer.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Sue Price Cohen said a Randall, Wisconsin, police officer was off-duty and working security at Walmart, 3900 Fountain Square Place in Waukegan, on April 21.

He was wearing a blue shirt that had “security” written on it and was wearing a police badge and had a service weapon.

An employee of the store informed the security officer that a female customer reported that Martinez-Cruz had his hand in his pants and was waving at her to follow him, Price Cohen said.

Martinez-Cruz was told to leave by the employee but got aggressive in the employee’s face and allegedly pushed him.

The two began wrestling on the ground and the security guard intervened and tried to control Martinez-Cruz, Price Cohen said.

Martinez-Cruz wrestled with the security guard as he tried to handcuff him.

Price Cohen said Martinez-Cruz escaped and then slammed the victim to the ground, injuring his ribs.

Two off-duty FBI agents, who were customers of the store, intervened and helped detain Martinez-Cruz, who was highly intoxicated, Price Cohen said.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office did not file a petition to detain Martinez-Cruz because the offenses are non-detainable under the Illinois SAFE-T Act.

Lake County Judge Randi Bruno released Martinez-Cruz, saying she had no authority to hold him despite the allegations. “I have to release you on conditions,” the judge said.

Martinez-Cruz was placed on Level 3 pre-trial supervision and ordered to undergo random drug and alcohol screenings. He was additionally ordered not to possess any weapons.

He was also ordered to have no contact with any of the people involved in the incident and not go to the Walmart in Waukegan.

Martinez-Cruz, who is reportedly a senior in high school, is scheduled to appear in court again on June 4 for a status of preliminary hearing.

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.