A woman allegedly driving drunk with a 1-year-old in her backseat crashed into another vehicle, leaving the toddler injured on Saturday in Beach Park, police said.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy on patrol spotted a head-on crash that had just occurred around 8 p.m. Saturday, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The crash occurred at Green Bay Road and Wadsworth Road in Beach Park.
The sheriff’s deputy approached the scene and exited his squad to check on the occupants of the vehicles.
The driver of one of the vehicles, a red Ford pickup truck, started driving away from the scene as the deputy approached, Covelli said.
The sheriff’s deputy was able to obtain the license plate of the fleeing vehicle and radio it to other units so he could tend to an injured victim at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle struck by the Ford sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital by ambulance.
Other sheriff’s deputies began searching for the fleeing Ford pickup truck.
They located it a short time later driving in the area of Hunt Club Road and Millburn Road in Old Mill Creek.
The vehicle had heavy front-end damage and the airbags were deployed. The deputies conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Shawn Weinberg.
Weinberg, 30, of the 2800 block of Falling Waters Drive in Lindenhurst, showed signs of alcohol impairment, Covelli said.
A 1-year-old child was in the backseat of the Ford and appeared to have injuries.
The 1-year-old boy was transported by ambulance to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan. The child’s father, who was not in the car, responded to the hospital to care for him, Covelli said.
Weinberg was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, driving under the influence of alcohol, child endangerment and cited for numerous traffic violations.
Weinberg was released from the Lake County Jail after posting 10% of her $20,000 bond. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday.