Following a thorough investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit, the driver of the Toyota was charged with several felonies.
After reviewing the facts and circumstances of the incident, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges for Liliana Wagner, 17, of Winthrop Harbor:
Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident (Class 2 Felony)
Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (Class 4 Felony)
Aggravated Fleeing to Elude (Class 4 Felony)
Wagner, who was charged as an adult, surrendered herself to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on May 3, 2023, and appeared at a bond hearing. Following the hearing, a Lake County Judge set her bond at $250,000.00. Wagner currently remains in custody.
The victim continues to recover while undergoing intensive rehabilitation treatments.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Driver Flees with Man on Hood of Car, then Runs Over Man (issued March 20, 2023)
On March 20, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy was on patrol in the 37800 block of North Sheridan Road, Beach Park. The deputy saw two vehicles leaving a business at a high rate of speed, one of the vehicles was a 2004 Toyota Camry. The deputy also saw a man (later determined to be a 19-year-old of Waukegan) on the hood of the Toyota. The man was waving at the deputy for assistance.
The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Toyota, however, the driver, (later determined to be a 17-year-old female of Winthrop Harbor) fled. As the deputy pursued the Toyota, the driver of the second vehicle passed the deputy and pulled alongside the Toyota. The driver of the Toyota swerved and abruptly stopped, causing the victim to fall off the hood of the vehicle. The driver of the Toyota then ran the victim over, before again fleeing.
The victim was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with critical, life-threatening injuries.
The deputy stayed on scene and rendered aid to the victim. The driver of the second vehicle followed the Toyota, and called in updated locations to sheriff’s telecommunicators. A deputy located the Toyota traveling southbound on I-94 and initiated a pursuit. The deputy was joined by a sheriff’s sergeant and Illinois State Police Troopers.
One of the sheriff’s deputies was able to deploy Stop Sticks, a tire deflation device, which successfully deflated the tires on the Toyota. The driver of the Toyota came to a stop at mile marker 41.75 near Rosemont.
The driver and two passengers were taken into custody and transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, where they currently remain.
Preliminary investigation shows the driver of the Toyota was involved in a minor traffic crash in the business she was fleeing from. The victim attempted to intervene following the crash. It was during this intervention that the victim had no choice but to jump on the hood of the car, to avoid being struck at that time by the Toyota.
The incident remains under investigation by sheriff’s detectives and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team.