On July 25, 2017 at approximately 1:20AM, Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of Route 41 and Stearns School Road, unincorporated Gurnee, for a report of a reckless driver.

A witness following a Dodge Charger, traveling northbound on Route 41, said the driver of the Dodge was unable to stay in his lane.  On several occasions, the driver struck the concrete median, which divides the northbound and southbound lanes of traffic.  The tires on the Dodge became badly damaged, but the driver continued driving northbound on the rims of the vehicle.  

As the driver continued northbound, he struck another vehicle in the area of Route 41 and Wadsworth Road.  Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Plichta and Deputy J.R. Halek located the Dodge on Route 41, approximately one mile south of Route 173, in Newport Township.  

The driver of the Dodge was unresponsive inside the vehicle, and Deputies Plichta and Halek placed the vehicle into park.  Deputies Plichta and Halek determined the driver was likely suffering an opioid overdose and they administered three doses of Naloxone.  After receiving the Naloxone, the man regained his consciousness, and was transported via ambulance to a local hospital.

The driver was positively identified as a 54 year-old man of Waukegan.  Upon his release from the hospital, the man will be charged with Driving Under the Influence and other traffic-related offenses.