A Chicago man has been charged with driving drunk and traveling the wrong way on Route 41 in Highland Park, causing a three-vehicle crash that left multiple people injured.
Nicholas M. Petersen, 34, of the 5100 block of North LaCrosse Avenue in Chicago, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing injury, a Class 4 felony.
The Highland Park Police Department and Highland Park Fire Department responded around 10:15 p.m. on November 20 to Route 41 between Old Elm Road and Route 22 in Highland Park for a vehicle crash.
A vehicle was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes and crashed head-on into two northbound vehicles, Highland Park Communications Manager Amanda Civitello said.
Emergency crews arrived and found three vehicles with moderate to heavy damage, Highland Park Fire Chief Joe Schrage said.
According to fire department radio traffic, one person was unconscious.
Crews had to use rescue equipment to extricate the occupants of one vehicle.
Paramedics transported four people to area hospitals, Schrage said. Their exact conditions were unknown.
Petersen was the driver who caused the crash and he was under the influence of alcohol at the time, according to court documents.
Two of the victims, an adult male and an adult female, suffered great bodily harm, the court documents said.
An arrest warrant was issued for Petersen by a Lake County judge carrying a $250,000 bond.
Police records show Petersen turned himself in to the Highland Park Police Department on November 23.
He was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was ordered held on the $250,000 bond.
His attorney said in court this week that Petersen has been transferred from the jail to an addiction treatment center.
A status of preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 27.