A Palatine man has been charged with DUI after he allegedly fled from police at a high rate of speed before crashing into another vehicle, killing a man on New Year’s Day in Mundelein.
Armando Altamirano, 31, of the 1700 block of Canterbury Trail in Palatine, was charged with five counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing an accident involving death.
An arrest warrant was issued for Altamirano on February 19 and he turned himself in to the Lake Zurich Police Department the following day, court records show.
A northbound Lincoln MXZ sedan, driven by Richard R. Skloot, 56, of Buffalo Grove, was attempting to turn left into the Burger King on Route 45 north of Route 60 around 10:10 a.m. January 1.
As the Lincoln was attempting to turn into the parking lot, it was t-boned by a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, driven by Altamirano.
The Chevrolet was traveling at a high rate of speed and driving recklessly southbound on Route 45, police said.
The Chevrolet reportedly fled from police just prior to the crash, a witness and another source told Lake and McHenry County Scanner. However, officers were not actively pursuing the vehicle when it crashed.
Skloot was heavily trapped in the car and pronounced dead at the scene, Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said. Skloot died of multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma, Cooper added.
Altamirano was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville following the crash.
He remains held in the Lake County Jail on a $750,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on March 19.