A woman, who was driving drunk, crashed her SUV into a Lake County sheriff’s squad car that was on the scene of a separate DUI arrest in Beach Park, authorities said.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy had their squad car parked on Sheridan Road facing southbound just south of Yorkhouse Road in Beach Park around 2 a.m. Sunday.
The sheriff’s deputy was parked waiting for a tow truck to tow a Honda since the driver was arrested for driving under the influence, according to Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli.
A passenger from the Honda was seated in the back of the parked squad car because the deputy was going to provide them with a ride after the Honda was towed from the scene.
The sheriff’s deputy noticed a Dodge Durango traveling southbound on Sheridan Road toward him at a high rate of speed, Covelli said.
The Dodge was traveling in the outside lane, which was the same lane the squad was parked. The squad car had its emergency lights activated.
The sheriff’s deputy stepped partially into the roadway and flashed his flashlight toward the Dodge in an attempt to get the driver’s attention. The Dodge continued southbound toward the squad.
The deputy was forced to jump off the roadway as the Dodge struck the rear of the squad car, Covelli said, adding that the squad car then struck the Honda.
Alaya N. Solomon, 36, of the 1600 block of Sheridan Road in North Chicago, was identified as the driver of the Dodge.
Paramedics evaluated the passenger who was seated in the squad car and Solomon. Both were uninjured.
“It was determined Solomon was driving under the influence of alcohol and with a revoked driver’s license,” Covelli said.
Solomon was arrested and transported to the Lake County jail. She was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, aggravated driving while license revoked and driving under the influence of alcohol.
She was also cited for violating Scott’s Law and other traffic violations.
Solomon had an initial court hearing Sunday morning where a Lake County judge set her bond at $100,000. She is scheduled to appear in court again on December 22.