Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigation Unit concluded their investigation into this crash. The investigation consisted of collecting data at the scene, scene measurements, a vehicle examination, and search warrants/subpoenas for various information.
The driver of the Chevrolet Impala, Joe Paredes, 30 at the time of the crash, now 31, of the 24300 block of West Tyler Avenue, Unincorporated Round Lake, was suspected of driving under the influence of intoxicating substances the night of the crash. A search warrant was obtained for Paredes’ blood, and upon receiving the toxicology results, it was determined he was indeed under the influence of cannabis at the time of the crash.
The toxicology results of the pedestrian, Matthew C. Evers, 34, of the 1200 block of Karyn Lane, Grayslake, revealed a blood-alcohol level that was over three times the legal limit to operate a vehicle. It remains unknown why Evers abruptly exited his ride-share and entered the roadway.
Once all of the data was obtained and the investigation was concluded, sheriff’s traffic crash investigators met with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges for Paredes:
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle
Paredes is due back in court on February 23, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom T121.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Note: Booking Photo Not Yet Available
Sheriff’s Technical Crash Team Investigating Wauconda Township Vehicle vs Pedestrian Crash
(issued June 20, 2021)
On June 19, 2021, at approximately 11:45 p.m., Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to Route 120 west of Fisher Road in Wauconda Township for a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic crash with injuries. Sheriff’s deputies arrived and located the pedestrian, a 34-year-old man of Grayslake, with life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary investigation shows minutes before the crash the pedestrian exited a vehicle on Route 120 and began walking. As the pedestrian was walking along the shoulder, he entered the roadway in the westbound lanes, where he was struck by a westbound Chevrolet Impala, driven by a 30-year-old man of Unincorporated Round Lake.
Initially, the pedestrian was transported via ambulance to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Unincorporated Barrington, but due to the severity of his injuries, he was then transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge via medical helicopter. He currently remains at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in critical condition.
Sheriff’s crash investigators are working to determine if impairment was a factor in the crash and why the pedestrian exited a vehicle on a busy roadway.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit.