A 25-year-old unincorporated Grayslake man was arrested and charged after he fled the scene of a crash and tried to bribe a witness near Mundelein.
Edgar Catalan, 25, of the 33500 block of North Greentree Road in unincorporated Grayslake, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, aggravated driving with a revoked license, battery, leaving the scene of an accident and operating an uninsured vehicle.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 9:40 p.m. on January 17 to the 18900 block of West Hickory Street in unincorporated Mundelein for a vehicle crash.
While sheriff’s deputies were responding, 911 callers stated the man who caused the crash, Catalan, was leaving the scene on foot, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
Deputies arrived and learned that Catalan allegedly struck a legally parked vehicle on the side of the road.
The owner of the parked vehicle, a 70-year-old unincorporated Mundelein man, exited his house after hearing a loud noise.
The man and other witnesses saw Catalan get back into his car and attempt to start it, Covelli said.
Catalan was unsuccessful at starting the vehicle and began arguing with the witnesses.
Catalan offered to pay one of the witnesses to not call the police, Covelli added.
At one point during the argument, Catalan allegedly grabbed two of the witnesses near their necks.
The victims were a 23-year-old man and a 42-year-old man both of unincorporated Mundelein, Covelli said.
Catalan then fled on foot before he was located by a responding deputy.
Deputies arrested Catalan after determining he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
The man refused to provide his name to deputies. His identity was revealed after he was fingerprinted at the Lake County Jail, Covelli said.
Deputies learned Catalan had active warrants for aggravated fleeing and eluding and electronic harassment.
Catalan remains held at the Lake County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
He is scheduled to appear in court on February 8.