The Grayslake police officer who struck and injured two women in a crosswalk with his patrol vehicle has been ruled at fault but will not be cited, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
Grayslake Police Department Deputy Chief Jeff Myrha said that the crash happened around 1:11 a.m. Thursday at Center Street and Seymour Avenue.
A Grayslake police officer driving in a marked police car was westbound on Center Street when the officer struck the two women in a crosswalk, Myrha said.
The women, a 22-year-old Third Lake resident and a 30-year-old Grayslake resident, had suffered minor injuries and an ambulance was called. Initially, the two women declined to be transported to the hospital by ambulance but later went to the hospital.
A friend of the victims said that they suffered bad bruising and scrapes from being thrown to the ground during the collision. They have since been treated and released from the hospital.
The two women struck by the officer said that he apologized to them at the scene and told them that he accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake, according to information provided to Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that both women were approximately halfway across Seymour Avenue in the designated crosswalk when they were struck by the officer, who was making a left turn.
Based on statements made by the officer involved and the two women, along with scene investigation, sheriff’s deputies determined that the police officer was primarily at fault but was not issued any citations, Covelli said.
The Grayslake police officer told investigators that he did see the two pedestrians but believed he had enough time to turn. “He believed the pedestrians must have ran. The pedestrians indicated they didn’t run until they believed they were going to be struck,” Covelli said.
“Although the deputy found the Grayslake officer to be primarily at-fault, no citation was issued, as-is common when there are conflicting statements and no independent witnesses,” Covelli said.