A man was transported to the hospital after he overdosed and crashed his car near Gurnee early Tuesday morning.
At around 1:20 a.m. Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of Route 41 and Stearns School Road in unincorporated Gurnee for a report of a reckless driver, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Christopher Covelli said.
According to Covelli, 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,” Covelli said in a statement.
Sheriff’s officials said 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 about 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,” Sgt. Covelli said.
Authorities said that after receiving the Naloxone the man regained his consciousness and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
The driver was identified as a 54-year-old man of Waukegan. Authorities said that upon his release from the hospital, the man will be charged with driving under the influence and other traffic-related offenses.