An intoxicated Gurnee man was arrested after he fled a crash near Libertyville and was found on the ground nearby in the woods suffering from injuries, police said.
John J. Paul, 56, of the 700 block of Rolling Green Street in Gurnee, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, driving under the influence of alcohol, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving on a revoked license, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to give info at an accident.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 9:30 p.m. Saturday to St. Mary’s Road and Route 137 in unincorporated Libertyville for a report of a two-vehicle crash.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Lt. Christopher Covelli said that Paul was traveling northbound on St. Mary’s Road approaching Route 137 when he struck a pickup truck.
Paul fled the scene on foot into the nearby woods following the collision, Covelli said.
Sheriff’s deputies responded and located the man lying in the grass in the wooded area, attempting to use his cellphone and suffering from injuries.
Paul showed signs of alcohol impairment and denied being involved in the crash, Covelli said. Paramedics treated the man and he was released back to police at the scene.
Sheriff’s deputies determined Paul was indeed the driver of the vehicle and they took him into custody.
Paul was transported to the Lake County Jail where he remains held on a $200,000 bond. He would need to post $20,000 cash in order to be released.
A status of attorney hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning.